Revival of terror? Japan fears death cult founder’s son poised to ‘seize power’

The widow of a man killed when followers of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin gas on the Tokyo subway system in 1995 has warned that a son of the founder of the apocalyptic religious group intends to resurrect its operations and ambitions.

Shizue Takahashi also cautioned that public memory of the attack – which killed 14 people and left 5,000 others needing treatment for exposure to the nerve agent – is fading in Japan, making it easier for Shoko Asahara’s son to reassert control and rebuild the group.

“Asahara’s second son was born and raised within the Aum Shinrikyo cult and has been indoctrinated during that time by his father’s teachings,” Takahashi told This Week in Asia.

“Rather than being encouraged by Asahara’s loyal believers to become the next leader of the cult, I believe he personally desires to seize power and rebuild the organisation,” Takahashi said.

“If he becomes as powerful within the cult as his father was, I believe he will try to expand it and create a new version of Aum Shinrikyo.”

Takahashi’s warning comes after Japan’s Public Security Intelligence Agency reported this week that Asahara’s second son, a 31-year-old who has not been named, has emerged as the “second-generation guru” and leader of Aleph, the group that was formed after Aum was forcibly disbanded.