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Lawyer meets ex-AUM cult member Hirata

TOKYO, Japan - Lawyer Taro Takimoto speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Jan. 2, 2012, after meeting with Makoto Hirata, a former leading member of the AUM Shinrikyo cult who turned himself in to police on Dec. 31. Takimoto said Hirata, 46, who had been on the wanted list since May 1995, thinks that AUM founder Shoko Asahara ''deserves the death penalty'' and that he does not believe in the cult anymore.

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Ex-AUM cult member Hirata taken to public prosecutors

TOKYO, Japan - A vehicle carrying Makoto Hirata, a former leading member of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, leaves Osaki Police Station in Tokyo on Jan. 2, 2012, as police officers take him for further questioning by public prosecutors. Hirata turned himself in to police on Dec. 31 after being on the run for more than 16 years. He was immediately arrested for suspected involvement in a conspiracy with AUM founder Shoko Asahara and other followers to abduct Kiyoshi Kariya, chief clerk at a notary office in Tokyo, in February 1995.

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AUM trial

TOKYO, Japan - Minoru Kariya, the son of one of the victims killed by members of AUM Shinrikyo, enters the Tokyo District Court on Jan. 21, 2014, to attend the trial of Makoto Hirata, a former senior member of the doomsday cult. Hirata is charged with involvement in the abduction and confinement of Kiyoshi Kariya, then 68, in February 1995 in conspiracy with AUM founder Shoko Asahara. Kariya later died after being injected with an anesthetic drug by AUM members.

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San Sebastian film festival

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain - Japanese actress Aya Ueto (C) and film director Yuzo Asahara (2nd from R) deliver chopsticks to guests during a dinner show after their movie "Bushi no Kondate" (A Tale of Samurai Cooking) was screened at the San Sebastian international film festival in San Sebastian, Spain, on Sept. 25, 2013.

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San Sebastian film festival

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain - Japanese actress Aya Ueto (C) eats dinner after film director Yuzo Asahara's movie "Bushi no Kondate" (A Tale of Samurai Cooking), starring Ueto, was screened at the San Sebastian international film festival in San Sebastian, Spain, on Sept. 25, 2013.

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San Sebastian film festival

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain - Japanese actress Aya Ueto (C) and film director Yuzo Asahara (2nd from R) pose for photos after their movie "Bushi no Kondate" (A Tale of Samurai Cooking) was screened at the San Sebastian international film festival in San Sebastian, Spain, on Sept. 25, 2013.

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3-year extension sought for AUM surveillance

TOKYO, Japan - Michiaki Ozaki, director general of the Public Security Intelligence Agency, attends a press conference at the Justice Ministry in Tokyo on Nov. 28, 2011. The agency sought the same day to keep the AUM Shinrikyo cult and its splinter group under state surveillance for another three years, asserting they remain under the strong influence of cult founder Shoko Asahara and could still commit mass murder.

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3 Universities to collaborate for radiation study

FUKUSHIMA, Japan - Three university presidents, Toshimasa Asahara (L) of Hiroshima University, Osamu Nittono of Fukushima University (C) and Shigeru Katamine of Nagasaki University, are seen at a ceremony in Fukushima City on July 28, 2011, for the conclusion of an agreement to partner on radiation research. The three universities will work together on studies including the effects of radiation, decontamination of radioactive substances as well as education and social support for children who face greater health risks in the aftermath of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

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Japan relay team receives bronze medals for men's 4x100-meters

BEIJING, China - Japan's relay team members -- (L-R) Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Shinji Takahira, Nobuharu Asahara -- hold their bronze medals and bouquets of flowers during the medal ceremony for the men's 4x100-meter relay at the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 23.

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Japan relay team receives bronze medals for men's 4x100-meters

BEIJING, China - Japan's bronze medalists -- (L-R) Nobuharu Asahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Naoki Tsukahara and Shinji Takahira -- pose during the medal ceremony for the men's 4x100-meter relay at the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 23.

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Japan claims historic bronze in men's 4x100-meter relay

BEIJING, China - Japan's relay team members -- (L-R) Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Shinji Takahira and Nobuharu Asahara -- smile during a press conference in Beijing on Aug. 23. Japan came third in the men's 4x100-meter relay of the Beijing Games at National Stadium on Aug. 22.

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Japan claims historic bronze in men's 4x100-meter relay

BEIJING, China - Japan's team (R-L: Naoki Tsukahara, Nobuharu Asahara, Shinji Takahira, Shingo Suetsugu) celebrate winning the third position in the men's 4x100-meter relay of the Beijing Games at the National Stadium on Aug. 22.

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Japan claims historic bronze in men's 4x100-meter relay

BEIJING, China - Asafa Powell of Jamaica (C) crosses the finish line to win the men's 4x100-meter relay final of the Beijing Games at the National Stadium on Aug. 22. Nobuharu Asahara of Japan (L) came third.

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Japan claims historic bronze in men's 4x100-meter relay

BEIJING, China - Nobuharu Asahara of Japan (R) finishes third in the men's 4x100-meter relay final of the Beijing Games at the National Stadium on Aug. 22.

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Japan claims historic bronze in men's 4x100-meter relay

BEIJING, China - Japan's team (L-R: Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Nobuharu Asahara, Shinji Takahira) celebrate winning the third position in the men's 4x100-meter relay of the Beijing Games at the National Stadium on Aug. 22.

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Japan claims historic bronze in men's 4x100-meter relay

BEIJING, China - Japan's team (L-R: Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu, Nobuharu Asahara, Shinji Takahira) celebrate winning the third position in the men's 4x100-meter relay of the Beijing Games at the National Stadium on Aug. 22.

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Joyu group to cast aside influence of Asahara

TOKYO, Japan - Former AUM Shinrikyo spokesperson Fumihiro Joyu speaks about his new group Hikari no Wa (Circle of Light) at a news conference in Tokyo on May 9. Joyu left AUM with members close to him to set up the new organization, which comprises 57 live-in followers and 106 lay members.

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Security agency raids AUM facilities across Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Public Security Intelligence Agency officers walk to an AUM Shinrikyo cult facility in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward on Sept. 16 for inspections after its founder Shoko Asahara's death sentence was finalized the day before. The agency raided 24 other SUM facilities on the same day. The inspections are based on a law to place groups judged dangerous under state surveillance.

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Top court rejects Asahara appeal, finalizing death sentence

TOKYO, Japan - Fumihiro Joyu, the leader of AUM Shinrikyo, or Aleph, speaks to reporters at a hotel in Tokyo on Sept. 15 after the Supreme Court rejected a special appeal filed by the defense counsel for AUM founder Shoko Asahara. AUM renamed itself Aleph in January 2000. (Pool photo)

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Top court rejects Asahara appeal, finalizing death sentence

TOKYO, Japan - Tomoyuki Yokota (R), deputy prosecutor general at the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Sept. 15 after the Supreme Court rejected a special appeal filed by the defense counsel for AUM founder Shoko Asahara. AUM renamed itself Aleph in January 2000.

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Top court rejects appeal by Asahara, finalizing death sentence

TOKYO, Japan - The Supreme Court rejected a special appeal filed by the defense counsel for AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara (in photo taken on Sept. 25, 1995) on Sept. 15, finalizing the death sentence against him over his involvement in the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system and other charges.

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High court rejects AUM founder Asahara's objection to ruling

TOKYO, Japan - The Tokyo High Court has rejected an objection filed by the defense team for AUM Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara (in a photo taken in September 1995) against the court's March 27 decision to dismiss their appeal against his death sentence two years and three months ago, judicial sources said on May 30. The decision paves the way for Asahara's death sentence to stand since the Supreme Court is unlikely to overrule unless any violation of the Constitution or a precedent can be found in the high court decision.

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Appeal against death sentence for AUM founder Asahara rejected

TOKYO, Japan - The Tokyo High Court decided to reject an appeal filed by the defense counsel of AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara (in undated file photo), increasing the likelihood that his death sentence will stand without a court hearing.

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(1)Japan gets best finishes in relays

ATHENS, Greece - Four Japanese sprinters, (from L to R) Hiroyasu Tsuchie, Shingo Suetsugu, Shinji Takahara and Nobuharu Asahara, smile after missing out on the podium with the best-ever fourth-place finish in the men's 4x100-meter relay at Olympic Stadium on Aug. 28. They finished in 38.49 behind Britain, the United States and Nigeria.

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Japanese team advances to 4x100-meter relay

ATHENS, Greece - The Japanese team of (from L to R) Shinji Takahira, Shingo Suetsugu, Nobuharu Asahara and Hiroyasu Tsuchie celebrates after producing a combined time of 38.53 seconds in the men's 4x100-meter relay to squeeze into the eight-team final at the Olympic Stadium in Athens on Aug. 27.

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Greene claims victory in 100 meters at Japan Grand Prix

OSAKA, Japan - Olympic champion Maurice Greene (51) blew away the competition to win the men's 100 meters in the IAAF Japan Grand Prix athletic meet in Osaka on May 8. Greene shrugged off an ankle injury to coast home in 10.04 seconds. Japan's Nobuharu Asahara (2nd from L) came fifth in 10.17.

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Asahara wins men's 100 at Oda Memorial

HIROSHIMA, Japan - Japan's Nobuharu Asahara (R) gets congratulations from Kareem Streete-Thompson of the Cayman Islands after beating him by 0.01 second to win the men's 100 meters final at the Oda Memorial international meet at Hiroshima Big Arch on April 29. Asahara, who is gunning to become the first Japanese to clock under 10 seconds, crossed the finish line in 10.16 seconds.

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(7)Asahara found guilty on all charges, sentenced to death

OSAKA, Japan - People try to get an extra reporting on the trial of Shoko Asahara, the founder of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, at the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27. The court sentenced him to death after finding him guilty on all 13 charges, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

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(6)Asahara found guilty on all charges, sentenced to death

TOKYO, Japan - Shizue Takahashi, widow of a victim from the 1995 Tokyo subway gassing, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Feb. 27 after the Tokyo District Court sentenced AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara to death. ''I wanted the death penalty for him, and I'm glad there was no other ruling besides death. I could not have accepted a term of life imprisonment,'' Takahashi said.

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(5)Asahara found guilty on all charges, sentenced to death

TOKYO, Japan - People look at an extra reporting on the trial of Shoko Asahara, the founder of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, at the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27. The court sentenced him to death after finding him guilty on all 13 charges, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

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(2)Asahara found guilty on all charges, sentenced to death

FUKUOKA, Japan - A visitor to a consumer electronics shop in Fukuoaka watches TV footage showing Shoko Asahara, the founder of the AUM Shinrikyo cult,who was sentenced to death at the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27.

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(4)Asahara found guilty on all charges, sentenced to death

TOKYO, Japan - A bus carrying Shoko Asahara, the founder of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, arrives at Tokyo Detention House after he was sentenced to death at the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27. The court found him guilty on all 13 charges against him, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

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(3)Asahara found guilty on all charges, sentenced to death

TOKYO, Japan - Abus carrying Shoko Asahara, the founder of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, departs from the Tokyo District Court after he was sentenced to death on all 13 charges against him, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

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(1)Asahara found guilty on all charges, sentenced to death

TOKYO, Japan - Pedestrians walking near JR Shinjuku Station in Tokyo look at TV footage showing Shoko Asahara, the founder of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, who was sentenced to death at the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27.

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(3)AUM founder Asahara to face verdict

TOKYO, Japan - Police keep watch in front of the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27. The court is to hand down a ruling later on Shoko Asahara, founder of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult after an eight-year trial.

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(7)AUM founder Asahara to face verdict

TOKYO, Japan - Prosecutors walk into the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27 before the court hands down a ruling on Shoko Asahara, founder of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult later in the day after an eight-year trial.

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(5)AUM founder Asahara to face verdict

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows a Tokyo District Court room Feb. 27 where a ruling is to be handed down later on Shoko Asahara, founder of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult after an eight-year trial. (Pool photo) (Kyodo )

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(6)AUM founder Asahara to face verdict

TOKYO, Japan - Lawyers for Shoko Asahara, founder of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult, walk into the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27. The court is to hand down a ruling on Asahara after an eight-year trial.

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(2)AUM founder Asahara to face verdict

TOKYO, Japan - A bus carrying Shoko Asahara, founder of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult, arrives at the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27. The court is to hand down a ruling on him after an eight-year trial.

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(4)AUM founder Asahara to face verdict

TOKYO, Japan - More than 4,000 people line up at Hibiya Park on Feb. 27 to get tickets to the Tokyo District Court. The court is to hand down a ruling later in the day on Shoko Asahara, founder of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult after an eight-year trial.

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Court to hand down ruling on AUM shinrikyo founder Asahara

TOKYO, Japan - Shizue Takahashi, whose husband died in the 1995 sarin gas attack by the AUM Shinrikyo cult on the Tokyo subway system, speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Feb. 26, one day before the Tokyo District Court hands down its ruling on charges against cult founder Shoko Asahara in 13 criminal cases, including the sarin gas attack.

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Security agency raids 11 AUM-related locations

TOKYO, Japan - Public Security Intelligence Agency officials approach a building in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward on Feb. 16, where a facility of the AUM Shinrikyo cult is located. The agency raided 11 AUM facilities nationwide ahead of the first court ruling on AUM founder Shoko Asahara on Feb. 27.

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AUM founder remains silent as lengthy trial concludes

TOKYO, Japan - Osamu Watanabe (L), head of the defense team for AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara, gives a press conference at the conclusion of Asahara's trial. The 48-year-old guru remained silent despite his final chance to speak out during the two-day last hearing of the trial that ended Oct. 31. Watanabe said his team has no plan to defend Asahara if he decides to appeal to a higher court.

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(2)Trial of AUM founder wraps up with claim of innocence

TOKYO, Japan - A bus supposed to carry AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara leaves the Tokyo District Court on Oct. 31 following conclusion of his trial. During the two-day last hearing of the marathon trial, Asahara's defense team claimed he is innocent of masterminding a string of gruesome crimes, including the 1995 gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

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AUM founder Asahara's defense puts blame on followers

TOKYO, Japan - A bus carrying AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara leaves the Tokyo District Court on Oct. 30. His defense lawyers argued at the court that Asahara is not guilty of ordering two sarin gas attacks and other crimes killing 27 people, and placed the blame on his followers.

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Suetsugu wins men's 100 at athletic nationals

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Shingo Suetsugu (R) outduels Nobuharu Asahara (L) in the men's 100 meters to capture his first-ever title at the national track and field championships at International Stadium Yokohama on June 8. Suetsugu clocked 10.13 seconds, 0.13 off Koji Ito's mark set in 1998.

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Prosecutors demand death penalty for AUM's Asahara

TOKYO, Japan - Shizue Takahashi, whose husband was among twelve people killed in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by AUM Shinrikyo cult, speaks to reporters in Tokyo on April 24 after prosecutors demanded the death penalty for cult founder Shoko Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, at the Tokyo District Court.

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(1)Court trial of AUM's Asahara

TOKYO, Japan - People queue outside the Tokyo District Court on April 24 for admission tickets to hear a trial of AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara. Prosecutors are expected to demand the death penalty for Asahara later in the day.

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(3)Court trial of AUM's Asahara

TOKYO, Japan - A group of lawyers arrives at the Tokyo District Court to attend a trial of AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara on April 24. Prosecutors are expected to demand the death penalty for Asahara later in the day.

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(2)Court trial of AUM's Asahara

TOKYO, Japan - Prosecutors walk into the Tokyo District Court to attend a trial of AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara on April 24. The prosecution is expected to demand the death penalty for Asahara later in the day.