Chizuo Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara, in 1987 founded the Aum Supreme Truth cult, which carried out a Tokyo subway attack with sarin gas 30 years ago.
Chizuo Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara, in 1987 founded the Aum Supreme Truth cult, which carried out a Tokyo subway attack with sarin gas 30 years ago.
Tens of millions of yen in cash were found in an apartment that is home to the widow and second son of Chizuo Matsumoto, the executed founder of the Aum Supreme Truth cult, investigative sources said yesterday.
Saitama prefectural police in Japan searched the apartment in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, inApril on suspicion of violating the law on the control of organisations which have committed acts of indiscriminate mass murder.
Public security authorities are investigating the source of the funds.
Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara, was executed in 2018.
The cult carried out a deadly Tokyo subway system attack with sarin gas - a highly toxic nerve agent - in March 1995.
Thirteen people died and more than 6000 were injured and became medically ill.
Aum has split in factions multiple times.
Currently, the primary successor organisation, Aleph, along with splinter groups such as Hikari no Wa (“Circle of Rainbow Light”) and Yamadara no Shudan (“The Yamada group”), remain active.
All three organisations are considered to be under the influence of the late Matsumoto, and as such, have been subject to monitoring under the aforementioned law since 2000. The Public Security Intelligence Agency has maintained surveillance through on-site inspections.
According to the investigative sources, the agency attempted an on-site inspection of the Koshigaya apartment in March this year, in accordance with the law. However, the widow refused to comply.
Consequently, the Saitama prefectural police, acting on a complaint from the agency, searched the apartment in April, leading to the discovery of tens of millions of yen in cash.
The agency has conducted a total of about 600 inspections of sites belonging to the three organisations, but targeting the base of Matsumoto’s family is considered unusual.
