Ikuo Hayashi
Encyclopedia
is a former AUM Shinrikyo
member indicted for participation in the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
.
Prior to joining AUM, Hayashi was a senior medical doctor with "an active 'front-line' track record" at the Japanese Ministry of Science and Technology (now a part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, or MEXT in short). Himself the son of a doctor, Hayashi graduated from Keio University
, one of Tokyo
's top schools. He was a heart and artery specialist at Keio Hospital, which he left to become head of Circulatory Medicine at the National Sanitorium Hospital in Tokai, Ibaraki
(north of Tokyo). Somewhere along the line Hayashi became disillusioned and decided to look beyond conventional medicine. He found AUM during his search.
In 1990 he resigned his job and left his family to join AUM and become a renunciate. He was believed to be one of Shoko Asahara
's favorites and was appointed the group's 'Minister of Health' where his responsibilities encompassed a broad range of activities from development of a balanced 'Aum diet' and supervision over 'Aum hospital' to experimentations with illegal hallucinogenic drug LSD
(which reportedly was used in one of Aum's initiations somewhere in 2002).
Besides involvement in Tokyo subway sarin gas attack and LSD drug affair, Hayashi was convicted in a number of other crimes. For example, he assisted in kidnapping of Kiyoshi Kariya, the 68-year old brother of a 62-year old woman who planned to become a renunciate but went missing (Hayashi believed she was held against her will by her brother to prevent her from becoming a nun). Hayashi and several other men injected Kariya with a drug to find the woman, but Kariya unexpectedly died, either from miscalculated dosage or weak physical health. Previously Hayashi helped another Aum member to recover from a forced drug treatment administered by the follower's father (also to prevent him from becoming a renunciate).
During the Tokyo Sarin Gas attack Ikuo Hayashi and Tomomitsu Niimi
were involved in delivering the sarin
containers on the Chiyoda line as a part of the Tokyo sarin attacks. Niimi served as the driver. Hayashi, wearing a surgical mask of the type commonly worn by Japanese during cold and flu season, boarded the southwestbound 7:48am Chiyoda line train number A725K on the first car, and punctured his bag of sarin at Shin-Ochanomizu Station
in the central business district. Two people were killed and 231 suffered serious injuries. Both perpetrators did not attempt to hide, returned to Aum facilities and were arrested several days later.
In court, the two reacted differently. While Niimi refused to cooperate with prosecution saying that the 'four meditative concentrations' he experienced under guidance of Asahara prevent him from testifying against his Guru, Hayashi accepted responsibility in the attack and testified in court. He was quoted as saying that he regrets that 'while he became a doctor to help, he used his skills to inflict sufferings'. He apologized to the victims and said that he views the death penalty as an appropriate punishment for his deeds. Niimi, while citing different reasons (loyalty to Asahara and Buddhist fatalistic ideas) also said that he would accept the capital punishment
('gladly').
Hayashi was sentenced to life imprisonment
.
Aum Shinrikyo
Aum Shinrikyo was a Japanese new religious movement. The group was founded by Shoko Asahara in 1984. The group gained international notoriety in 1995, when it carried out the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway....
member indicted for participation in the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
The Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway, usually referred to in the Japanese media as the , was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated by members of Aum Shinrikyo on March 20, 1995....
.
Prior to joining AUM, Hayashi was a senior medical doctor with "an active 'front-line' track record" at the Japanese Ministry of Science and Technology (now a part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, or MEXT in short). Himself the son of a doctor, Hayashi graduated from Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
, one of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
's top schools. He was a heart and artery specialist at Keio Hospital, which he left to become head of Circulatory Medicine at the National Sanitorium Hospital in Tokai, Ibaraki
Tokai, Ibaraki
is a village located in Naka District, Ibaraki, Japan. It is approximately 120 km north of Tokyo, Japan on the Pacific coast.As of 1 January 2005, the village has an estimated population of 35,467 and a population density of 946.29 persons per km²...
(north of Tokyo). Somewhere along the line Hayashi became disillusioned and decided to look beyond conventional medicine. He found AUM during his search.
In 1990 he resigned his job and left his family to join AUM and become a renunciate. He was believed to be one of Shoko Asahara
Shoko Asahara
, born on March 2, 1955, is a founder of the controversial Japanese new religious group Aum Shinrikyo. He was convicted of masterminding the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway and several other crimes, for which he was sentenced to death...
's favorites and was appointed the group's 'Minister of Health' where his responsibilities encompassed a broad range of activities from development of a balanced 'Aum diet' and supervision over 'Aum hospital' to experimentations with illegal hallucinogenic drug LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
(which reportedly was used in one of Aum's initiations somewhere in 2002).
Besides involvement in Tokyo subway sarin gas attack and LSD drug affair, Hayashi was convicted in a number of other crimes. For example, he assisted in kidnapping of Kiyoshi Kariya, the 68-year old brother of a 62-year old woman who planned to become a renunciate but went missing (Hayashi believed she was held against her will by her brother to prevent her from becoming a nun). Hayashi and several other men injected Kariya with a drug to find the woman, but Kariya unexpectedly died, either from miscalculated dosage or weak physical health. Previously Hayashi helped another Aum member to recover from a forced drug treatment administered by the follower's father (also to prevent him from becoming a renunciate).
During the Tokyo Sarin Gas attack Ikuo Hayashi and Tomomitsu Niimi
Tomomitsu Niimi
is a former Aum Shinrikyo member indicted for participation in the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway and a number of other crimes. He was Aum's minister of internal affairs....
were involved in delivering the sarin
Sarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
containers on the Chiyoda line as a part of the Tokyo sarin attacks. Niimi served as the driver. Hayashi, wearing a surgical mask of the type commonly worn by Japanese during cold and flu season, boarded the southwestbound 7:48am Chiyoda line train number A725K on the first car, and punctured his bag of sarin at Shin-Ochanomizu Station
Shin-Ochanomizu Station
is a subway station on the Chiyoda Line of the Tokyo Metro in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Its station number is C-12.Adjacent stations on the Chiyoda Line are Ōtemachi and Yushima Station . Transfers are also possible to Awajichō Station on the Marunouchi Line and Ogawamachi Station on the Toei...
in the central business district. Two people were killed and 231 suffered serious injuries. Both perpetrators did not attempt to hide, returned to Aum facilities and were arrested several days later.
In court, the two reacted differently. While Niimi refused to cooperate with prosecution saying that the 'four meditative concentrations' he experienced under guidance of Asahara prevent him from testifying against his Guru, Hayashi accepted responsibility in the attack and testified in court. He was quoted as saying that he regrets that 'while he became a doctor to help, he used his skills to inflict sufferings'. He apologized to the victims and said that he views the death penalty as an appropriate punishment for his deeds. Niimi, while citing different reasons (loyalty to Asahara and Buddhist fatalistic ideas) also said that he would accept the capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
('gladly').
Hayashi was sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
.