In late June, on the 24th, Japan first acknowledged forcibly recruiting Chinese as laborers during World War II, and on the 27th, a sarin gas incident occurred in Matsumoto City. Local police quickly determined that this was the work of Aum Shinrikyo.
According to confessions from nine arrested members of Aum Shinrikyo who spread the gas: prior to the incident, Aum Shinrikyo's group in Matsumoto City was requested by the property owner to return the land. Both parties ended up in court, and Asahara Shoko, aware that he stood little chance of winning, instructed his followers to spread gas targeting judges at the local court and the residents around the headquarters. This resulted in 8 deaths and 600 injuries.
Suddenly, the outcry against them was deafening.
