Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2003, Page 44
Hayashi adds that he wrote his analysis of Aum and Asahara so that the group‘s crimes
would not be repeated. (Asahi Shimbun, Internet, 11/1/03)
Woman Was Government “Mole”
Kazumi Kitagawa, who recently sought asylum in North Korea, spied on Aum Shinrikyo for
the Japanese government from within the group. Former Public Security Investigation
Agency official Hironari Noda said Kitagawa sold information to the agency, which has been
closely monitoring Aum for a number of years following the Tokyo subway attack. Aum
formally complained about Kitagawa‘s spying in 2002, but the government, while
acknowledging it, refuses further comment.
Kitagawa, who joined Aum in 1995, after the gas attack, often told other followers that she
was fascinated by North Korea and the Kim Il Jong regime and hoped to move there
someday. (Hiroshi Matsubara, Japan Times, Internet, 11/6/03)
“Killing Machine’s” Death Sentence Upheld
The Tokyo High Court has upheld the death sentence of Yasuo Hayashi, 45, known as the
‗killing machine,‘ convicted of a number of Aum Shinrikyo-related crimes including the
release of three bags of sarin poison gas inside Tokyo subway cars in 1995 that killed 12
and injured thousands. Hayashi‘s lawyers argued that he was only an accessory to leader
Shoko Asahara’s plan to overthrow the government. (AFP on Yahoo! News Singapore,
Internet, 12/5/03)
Towns Can’t Deny Them Residency
The Japanese Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling, decided that local governments cannot
deny residency rights to members of Aum Shinrikyo. Aum had asked the courts to revoke
the decisions of 16 local governments around the country not to accept members‘
applications for residence. Some local governments had refused residency because, they
said, they had a duty of protect the health and safety of their citizens. One jurisdiction that
has accepted Aum member residency subsidizes other local residents to monitor the group‘s
activities. (Mainichi Shimbun, Internet, 6/26/03)
More Members in Russia
Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Kiril, meeting with the ―chief priests of the six largest
Japanese churches,‖ says there are more Aum Shinrikyo members in Russia than in Japan.
Both he and the Japanese delegation agreed to wage a campaign against cults that ―could
facilitate Russian-Japanese rapprochement.‖ (Daily News Bulletin (Moscow), Internet,
8/12/03)
Awaiting Christ
Arrested for Illegal Burials
Fifteen members of Awaiting Christ have been arrested in Mandela Park, Umtata, South
Africa, and charged with burying followers illegally. Sinoxolo Dukuza says that a woman
claiming to be a prophet ―convinced my mother, two of my brothers, and my two sisters to
give up everything and join her church. She told them that Christ was coming in December
and that they would only be saved if they joined.‖ Dukuza said that when she tried to
persuade family members to leave, ―I was accused of being the devil, and my family was
warned to keep away from ‗worldly people‘ ...My mother and my brothers have been
brainwashed. They still believe Jesus is coming to fetch them.‖
Mandela Park community leader Chief Jonas Ndzambule said Awaiting Christ does not
believe in medical treatment and would not let its children attend school or allow members
Hayashi adds that he wrote his analysis of Aum and Asahara so that the group‘s crimes
would not be repeated. (Asahi Shimbun, Internet, 11/1/03)
Woman Was Government “Mole”
Kazumi Kitagawa, who recently sought asylum in North Korea, spied on Aum Shinrikyo for
the Japanese government from within the group. Former Public Security Investigation
Agency official Hironari Noda said Kitagawa sold information to the agency, which has been
closely monitoring Aum for a number of years following the Tokyo subway attack. Aum
formally complained about Kitagawa‘s spying in 2002, but the government, while
acknowledging it, refuses further comment.
Kitagawa, who joined Aum in 1995, after the gas attack, often told other followers that she
was fascinated by North Korea and the Kim Il Jong regime and hoped to move there
someday. (Hiroshi Matsubara, Japan Times, Internet, 11/6/03)
“Killing Machine’s” Death Sentence Upheld
The Tokyo High Court has upheld the death sentence of Yasuo Hayashi, 45, known as the
‗killing machine,‘ convicted of a number of Aum Shinrikyo-related crimes including the
release of three bags of sarin poison gas inside Tokyo subway cars in 1995 that killed 12
and injured thousands. Hayashi‘s lawyers argued that he was only an accessory to leader
Shoko Asahara’s plan to overthrow the government. (AFP on Yahoo! News Singapore,
Internet, 12/5/03)
Towns Can’t Deny Them Residency
The Japanese Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling, decided that local governments cannot
deny residency rights to members of Aum Shinrikyo. Aum had asked the courts to revoke
the decisions of 16 local governments around the country not to accept members‘
applications for residence. Some local governments had refused residency because, they
said, they had a duty of protect the health and safety of their citizens. One jurisdiction that
has accepted Aum member residency subsidizes other local residents to monitor the group‘s
activities. (Mainichi Shimbun, Internet, 6/26/03)
More Members in Russia
Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Kiril, meeting with the ―chief priests of the six largest
Japanese churches,‖ says there are more Aum Shinrikyo members in Russia than in Japan.
Both he and the Japanese delegation agreed to wage a campaign against cults that ―could
facilitate Russian-Japanese rapprochement.‖ (Daily News Bulletin (Moscow), Internet,
8/12/03)
Awaiting Christ
Arrested for Illegal Burials
Fifteen members of Awaiting Christ have been arrested in Mandela Park, Umtata, South
Africa, and charged with burying followers illegally. Sinoxolo Dukuza says that a woman
claiming to be a prophet ―convinced my mother, two of my brothers, and my two sisters to
give up everything and join her church. She told them that Christ was coming in December
and that they would only be saved if they joined.‖ Dukuza said that when she tried to
persuade family members to leave, ―I was accused of being the devil, and my family was
warned to keep away from ‗worldly people‘ ...My mother and my brothers have been
brainwashed. They still believe Jesus is coming to fetch them.‖
Mandela Park community leader Chief Jonas Ndzambule said Awaiting Christ does not
believe in medical treatment and would not let its children attend school or allow members
