Gov't opens website on Aum cult ahead of sarin attack's 30th anniversary

Too soon.

Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara, whose real name was Chizuo Matsumoto, was executed at age 63 with 12 other former senior members of the cult in July 2018.

Justice..

It’s surprising that people continue to join.

I used to ride Chioda to work (the main train that was attacked at Kasumigaseki).

I knew something was up when the train didn’t stop there and someone was Decontaminating the Platform in Full MOP gear.

Ohh boy does that bring back memories! I was supposed to go on a job interview that morning and be on the Chiyoda Line and by a miracle the job interview was cancelled.

Prayers to those who are still living with and dealing with the side effects.

These insane cults continue to spread poison in Japanese society. Happy Science (幸福の科学) has morphed into a right-wing Russia/Trump propaganda empire on YouTube. One of its former leaders, Oikawa Yukihisa (及川幸久) continues his work converting gullible followers, this time with the aim of establishing an earthly dictatorship instead of a heavenly one. He emits daily videos promoting the most vile anti-semitic, anti-liberal, anti-media, anti-science, anti-Ukraine and anti-democratic garbage, intended to stir up a nihilistic MAGA-style revolution in Japan. These cults are indeed a curse.

These insane cults continue to spread poison in Japanese society.

Elsewhere too. One problem from my point of view is that "serious" religions are still granted a respectable status in most countries. If we can believe that God massacred all kinds of 'unbelieving' people, should we be surprised that such groups crop up?

I find comedy a better inspiration - learning that ignorance is better than belief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD7EZ6Lha4E

Murakami Haruki's book non-fiction book "Underground," a compilation of interviews with survivors, gives a good account of how the attack impacted the lives of the victims. Available in Japanese and translation.

It is hard to believe that almost 30 years have passed since the sarin incidents. Thank goodness no copycat activities like this have happened since then. @WA4TKG and @justasking, glad you guys made it through these incidents safely. I was living in Fukuoka at the time, but remember these incidents like they were just yesterday.

Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara, whose real name was Chizuo Matsumoto, was executed at age 63 with 12 other former senior members of the cult in July 2018.

These executions seemed to take forever to accomplish. Interesting that the sarin incidents seem like yesterday, but the time for Asakara and the other cult organizers sitting on death row seems like so long ago. The executions seemed a belated but just conclusion to the incident.