Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 18, 2001, Page 27
Asahara appealed to his followers by saying, ―The day of final destruction is coming and this
plan must be carried out as quickly as possible.‖ He ordered them to leave their homes to
follow Aum and to gather large amounts of offerings or donations.
Asahara’s Homicide Theory
Aum/Asahara created a theory of evil that professed the following three major ideas:
1. Aum will save humankind from destruction.
2. Any person or thing that opposes Aum is evil.
3. If people who commit evil acts are allowed to continue living, then more evil acts will be
perpetrated.
Accordingly, it is beneficial to rid this world of these evil spirits so that they can be
reincarnated for the coming world. Based on this theory, Aum took measures to kill those
persons who opposed Aum. Asahara called homicides based on this theory ―Poa‖ and taught
his followers that ―Poa‖ was ―an act to save human souls.‖
Aum's murder in November 1989 of Attorney Sakamoto, his wife, and his child was a crime
based on this ―theory of evil.‖ Also based on this theory were all of the homicide or near
homicide cases Aum followers perpetrated following this incident up until 1995. These cases
included the Matsumoto Sarin Incident (pursued by the courts), in which seven people died
and over 100 people suffered injuries the Tokyo Subway Sarin gas incident (mainly
pursued by the police), in which 12 people died and over 5,000 people suffered injuries and
various terrorist type cases perpetrated against journalists and lawyers opposing Aum.
Although such activities carried out according to Asahara‘s orders created problems in
various areas throughout Japan, these activities strengthened the exclusive and willful
consciousnesses of victims and bolstered the way of thinking (among its members) that
―anyone who criticizes Aum is an enemy.‖
Lessons from the Aum Cases:
Responsibilities of the Police
Introduction
From the homicide incident involving the deaths of the attorney Sakamoto and his family on
4 November 1989 onward, Aum‘s acts became increasingly heinous. The religious group
perpetrated acts such as abductions and homicides, illegal confinement of individuals, fraud,
document forgery, illegal production of firearms, and the use of prescription or otherwise
illegal pharmaceuticals. On 20 March 1995, Aum instigated the Tokyo Metropolitan Subway
Sarin Gas attack, a criminal act against humanity never before witnessed in the history of
crime.
Given this chain of events, we must ask how such heinous crimes could have been
overlooked. Further, we must question what enabled Aum to increase and grow to the
extent that an incident such as the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system could
occur.
Various influential and powerful bodies within Japanese society assumed responsibility for
allowing Aum‘s growth and perpetration of heinous crimes. These bodies include the
administrative government, the tax authority, the media, religious scholars, and established
religious organizations and institutions. However, the Japanese police hold the majority of
the responsibility.
Asahara appealed to his followers by saying, ―The day of final destruction is coming and this
plan must be carried out as quickly as possible.‖ He ordered them to leave their homes to
follow Aum and to gather large amounts of offerings or donations.
Asahara’s Homicide Theory
Aum/Asahara created a theory of evil that professed the following three major ideas:
1. Aum will save humankind from destruction.
2. Any person or thing that opposes Aum is evil.
3. If people who commit evil acts are allowed to continue living, then more evil acts will be
perpetrated.
Accordingly, it is beneficial to rid this world of these evil spirits so that they can be
reincarnated for the coming world. Based on this theory, Aum took measures to kill those
persons who opposed Aum. Asahara called homicides based on this theory ―Poa‖ and taught
his followers that ―Poa‖ was ―an act to save human souls.‖
Aum's murder in November 1989 of Attorney Sakamoto, his wife, and his child was a crime
based on this ―theory of evil.‖ Also based on this theory were all of the homicide or near
homicide cases Aum followers perpetrated following this incident up until 1995. These cases
included the Matsumoto Sarin Incident (pursued by the courts), in which seven people died
and over 100 people suffered injuries the Tokyo Subway Sarin gas incident (mainly
pursued by the police), in which 12 people died and over 5,000 people suffered injuries and
various terrorist type cases perpetrated against journalists and lawyers opposing Aum.
Although such activities carried out according to Asahara‘s orders created problems in
various areas throughout Japan, these activities strengthened the exclusive and willful
consciousnesses of victims and bolstered the way of thinking (among its members) that
―anyone who criticizes Aum is an enemy.‖
Lessons from the Aum Cases:
Responsibilities of the Police
Introduction
From the homicide incident involving the deaths of the attorney Sakamoto and his family on
4 November 1989 onward, Aum‘s acts became increasingly heinous. The religious group
perpetrated acts such as abductions and homicides, illegal confinement of individuals, fraud,
document forgery, illegal production of firearms, and the use of prescription or otherwise
illegal pharmaceuticals. On 20 March 1995, Aum instigated the Tokyo Metropolitan Subway
Sarin Gas attack, a criminal act against humanity never before witnessed in the history of
crime.
Given this chain of events, we must ask how such heinous crimes could have been
overlooked. Further, we must question what enabled Aum to increase and grow to the
extent that an incident such as the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system could
occur.
Various influential and powerful bodies within Japanese society assumed responsibility for
allowing Aum‘s growth and perpetration of heinous crimes. These bodies include the
administrative government, the tax authority, the media, religious scholars, and established
religious organizations and institutions. However, the Japanese police hold the majority of
the responsibility.
