Sarin Gas Attacks Victims Not Given Enough Help 30 Years Later

このページを日本語で読む

It has been 30 years since the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult launched its sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system. The number of generations who only know about the incidents from textbooks continues to increase. We must sound the alarm about the dangers of cults and pass on to future generations the knowledge of that unprecedented tragedy.

The fallout from the incidents continue to this day. Aum Shinrikyo, the original group, has been dissolved. Also, its leader Shoko Asahara and other senior members of the cult have been executed. However, at least three successor groups that adhere to Asahara's teachings survive today. And victims of the sarin attack continue to fight for compensation from these successor groups, which are suspected of hiding huge amounts of assets.

Aum Shinrikyo's goal was "to overthrow the state." The world was shocked by this first chemical terrorist attack to target the heart of a capital city. When looked at in that way, the victims of the attacks were proxies for the Japanese nation.

So why then do bereaved families and victims still have to fight on their own? Haven't they been treated too callously? In this case, the government should step forward and swiftly enact measures providing adequate relief to the victims.

Remembering the Horror and Loss

On the morning of March 20, 1995, the highly toxic nerve gas sarin was released into five subway carriages on three lines passing through Kasumigaseki. This is the station where central government offices are located in the heart of Tokyo. Fourteen people died and about 6,300 were injured in the gas attacks, many seriously.

That morning, subway stations and streets near the above-ground exits were filled with people writhing in agony from the deadly sarin poison. Members of the Self-Defense Forces risked their lives to conduct decontamination work in areas affected by the sarin. Meanwhile, firefighters and medical personnel engaged in life-saving efforts.

*Subway and emergency workers help victims of the 1995 Tokyo Metro sarin gas attacks.*

Two subway workers tried to dispose of the punctured sarin bags in the subway cars. They died in the line of duty while trying to restore the safety of passengers. We must never forget the dedication of these brave individuals.

Many victims who survived suffered various debilitating aftereffects from the sarin, such as impaired eyesight and memory loss. Among the thousands riding the subway that morning, it was only by chance that some became victims while others did not.

Victims Must Not be Left to Stand Alone

Many businesses lost workers or staff as a result of the attacks. However, there were hardly any laws or systems in place to provide relief to victims of such unexpected, indiscriminate terrorism. Under then-existing laws, only a handful of people were eligible for crime victim benefits.

In contrast, the United States took swift government action to confront indiscriminate terrorism.

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States resulted in nearly 30,000 deaths and injuries. But a mere 11 days after the attacks, the US Congress passed a law establishing a victims' compensation fund. On average, the fund paid out the equivalent of more than ¥200 million JPY ($1.35 million USD) to each family and completed its mission in less than three years.

Moreover, that help was not limited to financial compensation. Studies funded by the US government and local authorities tracked the health of about 70,000 people, including firefighters who helped save lives and residents living near the scene, over the following 20 years.

Compensating the Victims is a National Responsibility

Shizue Takahashi lost her husband, who was an assistant station manager at Kasumigaseki Station, due to the sarin gas attacks. She was shocked to learn the difference between Japan and the United States when interacting with other families of victims of the terrorist attacks. Takahashi later founded the "Association of Victims of the Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack" to help remedy this discrepancy.

Together with surviving victims, their families, and legal teams, Takahashi's group has continued to appeal to the Diet and government for support.

Thirteen years after the sarin gas attacks, the government finally passed a law providing up to ¥30 million ($200,000) to victims and surviving family members. Altogether, there were eight incidents perpetrated by the doomsday cult, including the Tokyo subway sarin gas attacks.

Aum Shinrikyo filed for bankruptcy in 2008, and its direct successor, Aleph, assumed its remaining debts. In 2012, that group agreed to pay the still unpaid damages to victims. However, the payments are expected to conclude in 2030.

In 2020, the Supreme Court ordered Aleph to pay more than ¥1 billion ($6.7 million) in damages. However, the attachment process to gain access to Aleph's assets has faced rough going.

The Compensation Act clearly states that the government will consider how to provide relief to victims of terrorism and take necessary measures based on the results of that consideration. Therefore, the government should quickly create a system to facilitate compensation payments and collect the money from Aleph. Funding sources of successor groups that continue to recruit members must also be cut off.

The Public Security Intelligence Agency believes Aleph is hiding assets worth at least ¥700 million ($4.7 million). They should not be allowed to continue to do so.

Preventing Terrorism Tragedies

How did the Aum Shinrikyo cult gain such power that it was able to carry out unprecedented terrorist attacks? Was there really no way to prevent the tragedy?

Countless points in this history need to be reexamined. Among them, how did investigators and the media, including newspapers, approach such social phenomena?

Meanwhile, these were terrorist attacks directed at Japan as a nation. Isn't it the responsibility of Japanese society as a whole to help the bereaved families and victims recover physically and mentally from the events of that never-to-be-forgotten day when a few short minutes shattered their lives forever?

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun

このページを日本語で読む