The daughter of Shoko Asahara, the leader of the cult Aum Shinrikyo, infamous for the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, attempted to leave the country to attend a Korean film festival but was stopped.
According to Japanese media such as Asahi TV on the 29th, Matsumoto Rika, the third daughter of Aum Shinrikyo leader Shoko Asahara (real name Chizuo Matsumoto), attempted to board a flight at Haneda Airport on the 27th to attend the EBS Documentary Film Festival held in Seoul but was denied departure.
The documentary in which Rika appeared, titled "I Am His Daughter," was scheduled to be screened.
In an interview with the media, Rika lamented, "No matter who I call, I only hear that they are 'not the person in charge.' I need to confirm how my name is treated in this country." She added, "Being treated this way because I am a victim's family member takes away my will to live," expressing her grievances. The specific reason for her denied departure has not been confirmed, but it was reported that the airline received a response from the Korean embassy stating, "You cannot enter." Rika had also attempted to visit Korea in 2017, but that plan fell through.
Reactions in Japan are mixed. Online, there are opinions stating, "It's natural for the daughter of the Aum Shinrikyo leader to be under surveillance," as well as responses that say, "It is the most unfortunate thing not to be able to choose one's parents. The daughter cannot be held responsible."
Aum Shinrikyo committed the worst terrorist act on March 20, 1995, by releasing sarin gas on three lines of the Tokyo subway, resulting in the deaths of 13 people and injuring over 6,300. Sarin is a highly toxic compound that damages the central nervous system, and many victims are still suffering from aftereffects. In 2020, one of the victims died due to complications from sarin poisoning.
Thirteen leaders of Aum Shinrikyo, including Shoko Asahara, who directed the incident, were sentenced to death, and the sentence was carried out in July 2018. Although a dissolution order for the religious corporation was issued the same year, three successor groups, including Aleph, are still active, and the Public Security Investigation Agency of Japan continues to regulate and monitor them, citing the risk of "indiscriminate mass murder."