Japan to preserve doomsday cult’s trial records ‘to prevent a repeat’ of deadly subway sarin gas attack
‘Their crimes were unprecedented, and similar crimes should never happen again,’ Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa says
Japanese authorities have decided to preserve trial records of criminal cases involving the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult as part of efforts to prevent a repeat of the serious crimes committed by its members, Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa said on Friday.
“Their crimes were unprecedented, and similar crimes should never happen again. It is my important duty to stop (the records) from being discarded while ensuring they are passed down to future generations,” said Kamikawa, under whose orders all 13 Aum death-row inmates, including founder Shoko Asahara, were executed last month.
It is extremely rare for the ministry to announce which criminal cases will have its trial records permanently preserved.
In addition to the trial documents, administrative records related to the executions are to be retained indefinitely, Kamikawa said. “I expect them to be stored in the national archives in the future.”
Trial records, such as defendants’ statements, are normally disposed of after being held by prosecutors for a prescribed period.