Prologue

Completing the Execution of the AUM Shinrikyo Leader and 12 members

 On July 6, 2018, the leader and 6 members of a religious group called Aum Shinrikyo were executed unannounced. Then, three weeks later, before people became emotionally cooler, the remaining six members on death row were also executed unannounced; this occurred on July 26, 2018. The group was accused of several murders especially the horrifying saran gas attack in the Tokyo subway system in July of 1995. The Supreme Court finalized the death sentence in 2011, and 7 years later it was put into effect.

Over 20 years ago, this religious group whose philosophy was based on Buddhism and Hinduism fought against the Japanese government. They felt that massive state power was suppressing the group. They gradually armed themselves for Armageddon and waged an all-out war against the government.

Shoko Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, the leader of this group, was born on March 2, 1955. He had poor vision so he went to a school for the blind. In 1978, he got married and had a child. He studied acupuncture and moxibustion. He became a practitioner and then opened his own clinic.

However, he decided to give up saving people through the acupuncture and moxibustion after some time. He then joined in a new Buddhism group causing Asahara to become obsessed with the Hinayana and Yoga world.  

In 1981, Asahara opened a pharmacy and sold medical products. He earned 40 million Japanese yen but the products were unauthorized and had no effect, so he was arrested for violating the Pharmaceutical Law and paid a big fine. As a result, he closed the pharmacy.

After that incident, he became interested into supernatural powers and immersed himself into Yoga, Buddhism, and Taoism to gain eternal youth. In 1984, he started a Yoga club. The club was like a big family with warm relationships and he was the mentor. He was 28 years old at that time he formed the Yoga club.

AUM Shinrikyo was founded through this Yoga club.