A man suspected of hijacking an All Nippon Airways flight from Osaka was arrested late Jan. 20 shortly after the plane landed at Fukuoka Airport, officials said.At 6:40 p.m. Jan. 20, Ryoichi Takeuchi, captain of Fukuoka-bound ANA Flight 217, a Boeing 777, reported to Fukuoka air traffic controllers that his plane was being hijacked, the ministry said. The flight, carrying 182 passengers and 10 crew members, landed at Fukuoka on schedule at 6:47 p.m. The incident forced the airport to close.The suspect was apprehended at 7:23 p.m. by ANA employees when he exited the plane shortly after all the passengers were released, the officials said. The suspect was identified as Koichi Yano, 31. Investigative authorities arrested him on suspicion of violating the Fire Arms and Swords Control Law.The officials said Yano entered the cockpit and threatened the crew with a small knife. He demanded that the jet stop at Fukuoka Airport to refuel and then fly to overseas. He reportedly told the crew he would release all the passengers at Fukuoka.
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