Three Decades After the Tokyo Subway Attack, Survivors and Families Pursue Justice and Awareness

Three decades have passed since the devastating sarin gas attack on Tokyo’s subway system, yet survivors and families of victims continue to seek justice and healing.

On March 20, 1995, the heinous assault claimed the lives of thirteen individuals and left thousands suffering from the effects of sarin nerve gas in one of the most notorious attacks in Japan’s history— a nation celebrated for its low crime rates.

The culprits, members of Aum Shinrikyo, also known as the Supreme Truth, have since been dismantled. The founder Shoko Asahara and twelve of his followers faced execution in 2018. Nonetheless, approximately 1,600 former members still operate under different names and have evaded a court order mandating them to compensate survivors and families.

Shizue Takahashi, who lost her husband, a deputy station master, remains deeply affected by the incident. “My life is still being ruined by Aum and its successor groups,