He was in charge of calming things down when radicals from Japan's Red Army took a woman hostage in the resort town of Karuizawa in Nagano, Japan, back in 1972. But, the job had its difficulties, as well. Sassa had to fight against freezing winter temperatures, disagreements between the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and the Nagano Prefectural Police, and public opinion to get into the lodge that held the single woman captive.