Public Security Intelligence Agency officers enter the headquarters of Hikari no Wa, one of the three successor groups to Aum Shinrikyo, in Tokyo in July 2019. | JIJI

Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki called for caution over the three successor groups to Aum Shinrikyo, ahead of the 30th anniversary on Thursday of the doomsday cult's sarin nerve gas attack on Tokyo's subway system.

The successor groups, called Aleph, Hikari no Wa and Yamada-ra no Shudan, "are still conducting activities under the absolute influence of Chizuo Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara, the mastermind of the attack," Suzuki told a news conference on Tuesday, referring to the executed former leader of the now-defunct cult.

"There is a risk that they will commit acts of indiscriminate mass murder," the minister noted.

The minister also expressed concern about the groups' activities in recent years to recruit young people with little knowledge of the deadly attack and other incidents involving Aum Shinrikyo, while hiding their group names.

The Public Security Intelligence Agency will continue to monitor the successor groups and work to dispel any anxiety among the public, Suzuki said.

Sources have said that Aleph has changed its representative at least nine times over the past two years.

Aleph is under order to pay over ¥1 billion in compensation mainly to victims of a string of crimes committed by Aum Shinrikyo. The frequent changes have blocked a support group's efforts to recover compensation from Aleph.

Aleph "is changing its representative all the time to avoid compulsory execution (over compensation payment)," said Yuji Nakamura, a lawyer at the support group, criticizing the lack of "sincere response" from Aleph.

Informed sources said that Aleph changed its representative at least nine times in the two years from October 2022. During this period, five people served as Aleph's representative.

There was a time when the group changed its representative twice in the span of three months, the sources said.

In November 2020, the Supreme Court finalized a decision ordering Aleph to pay ¥1.025 billion in compensation mainly to victims of crimes carried out by Aum Shinrikyo.

Following the finalized ruling, the support group in December 2021 asked for a court decision to have Aleph disclose its assets for seizure. The request was approved by the court.

Aleph started to change its representative frequently from around September 2022, when its special appeal to the top court was dismissed.

Source Link: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/19/japan/crime-legal/justice-minister-comments-aum/