Society

Aum founder's daughter voids parents' rights to inherit her property

Nov 23 (Japan Times) - The Yokohama family court granted a request by a daughter of Aum Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara to nullify her parents' right to inherit her property in the event of her death.

Death row inmate Asahara's fourth daughter, 28, filed the request with the court in an attempt to sever ties with her father, 62, and mother, 59, both senior members of the cult that carried out the deadly 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack.

"I now live away from the cult and have not contacted my family or former (cult) members," the woman, who requested her name be withheld, told a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, was convicted of masterminding the terror attack that left 13 people dead and injured over 6,000, in addition to other crimes.

The court accepted that the woman was abused by her parents. It also considered the circumstances she faced after their arrest, which involved her suffering bullying and having school applications rejected.

She has faced "critical disadvantages such as living in an unstable environment and receiving insufficient education," the court said, noting that the issues continue to this day.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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