Son of executed Aum Shinrikyo founder identified as Aleph leader

Japan Times

6 days ago

The Public Security Intelligence Agency (PSIA) has identified the second son of Shoko Asahara — the founder of the now-defunct Aum Shinrikyo cult — as the de facto head of Aleph, the group regarded as Aum's successor, it announced Tuesday.
The unnamed 31-year-old son of Chizuo Matsumoto, who was commonly known as Shoko Asahara, has been 'involved in organizational decision-making and is leading Aleph's operations,' the PSIA said in a statement. The agency has made moves to tighten restrictions on the group's activities.
Matsumoto, who was executed in 2018, was the mastermind behind a series of deadly crimes carried out by Aum Shinrikyo, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system that killed 14 people and injured thousands.
The agency also filed a request with the Public Security Examination Commission to extend for another six months the current restrictions on Aleph, including the prohibition of facility use, as a preventive measure under the law governing organizations responsible for indiscriminate mass murder, citing the group's failure to comply with its reporting obligations.
As part of the request, authorities moved to prohibit the use of the group's 16 facilities nationwide and designated the residence of the second son and his 66-year-old mother — Matsumoto's widow — in the city of Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, as a new Aleph site, dubbed the 'Shin-Koshigaya Facility.'
The agency is seeking to force the pair to disclose the property's purpose and activities.
The PSIA formally identified the mother as an Aleph member acting in a supervisory capacity to assist her son. This marks the first time the second son has been officially designated a member of the organization. Authorities are increasingly wary of his growing influence.
According to the agency and related sources, Matsumoto designated his second son as one of his successors while still alive. Since around 2014, the son has reportedly been involved in Aleph's decision-making processes and ritual ceremonies. By around 2017, he had begun referring to himself as a 'second-generation guru.'
On March 26, PSIA officials attempted to conduct an on-site inspection of the residence, but were denied entry. The Saitama Prefectural Police, acting on a criminal complaint from the agency, subsequently raided the home and discovered several tens of million yen in cash.
Authorities are investigating the origin of the funds and suspect Aleph may have been providing financial support to the household.
As of the end of April, Aleph had at least 1,190 followers, according to the PSIA. The group has seen a slowdown in recruitment efforts in recent years, attributed to increased restrictions on the use of its facilities and the departure of key senior members.
Translated by The Japan Times