On March 31, 1970, Wakabayashi was one of nine hijackers who stormed the cockpit of Japan Airlines Flight 351, brandishing samurai swords and pipe bombs.
When the hijackers were informed that the Boeing 727 domestic flight did not have the range to fly to Cuba, they instead demanded to be flown to Pyongyang, North Korea.
[3] However, the hijackers realized they were tricked after hearing American jazz music playing and finding no welcoming committee awaiting them, whereupon they finally secured passage to North Korea in exchange for releasing the remaining hostages.
In a March 2010 interview with Kyodo News, Wakabayashi stated that the hijacking was a "selfish and conceited" act.
Wakabayashi added that he wished to return to Japan and was willing to face arrest and trial for his role in the hijacking.