Editing Shoko Asahara (section)

==Trial and execution==
[[File:死刑執行命令書.pdf|thumb|upright|Asahara's [[death warrant]]]]
Asahara faced 27 counts of murder in 13 separate [[indictment]]s.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4aQzDwAAQBAJ&q=Asahara&pg=PT430|title=Terrorism and Organized Hate Crime: Intelligence Gathering, Analysis and Investigations, Fourth Edition|last=Ronczkowski|first=Michael R.|date=September 1, 2017|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781351787123|language=en}}</ref> The prosecution argued that Asahara gave orders to attack the Tokyo Subway to "overthrow the government and install himself in the position of [[Emperor of Japan]]".<ref>{{cite news|last=Ryall|first=Julian|date=January 16, 2014|title=Justice looms for doomsday cult that brought death to the Tokyo subway|page=14|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10576071/Justice-looms-for-Doomsday-cult-that-brought-death-to-Tokyo-subway.html|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref> Later, during the trial which took more than seven years to conclude, the prosecution forwarded an additional theory that the attacks were ordered to divert police attention away from Aum. The prosecution also accused Asahara of masterminding the [[Matsumoto incident]] and the [[Sakamoto family murder]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2003/04/25/national/death-demanded-for-asahara/|title=Death demanded for Asahara|last=Wijers-Hasegawa|first=Yumi|date=April 25, 2003|work=The Japan Times Online|access-date=July 9, 2018|issn=0447-5763}}</ref> During the trials, some of the disciples testified against Asahara, and he was found guilty on 13 of 17 charges, including the Sakamoto family murder; four charges were dropped. On February 27, 2004,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-02-27 |title=Death sentence for Tokyo gas attack leader |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/feb/27/japan |access-date=2023-02-26 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> he was [[capital punishment in Japan|sentenced to death]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/05/asia/japan-aum-shinriyko-leader-executed-intl/index.html|title=Shoko Asahara: Japan doomsday cult leader executed 23 years after Tokyo sarin attack|author1=James Griffiths |author2=Yoko Wakatsuki|work=CNN|access-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref> The trial was called the "trial of the century" by the Japanese media.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/eafbd67c-80b0-11e8-bc55-50daf11b720d |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/eafbd67c-80b0-11e8-bc55-50daf11b720d |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Japan executes cult leader behind 1995 Tokyo subway gas attack|last1=Lewis|first1=Leo|last2=Inagaki|first2=Kana|date=July 5, 2018 |website=Financial Times|access-date=July 6, 2018}}</ref>

The defence [[appeal]]ed against Asahara's sentence on the grounds that he was mentally unfit and psychiatric examinations were undertaken. During much of the trials, Asahara remained silent or only muttered to himself.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wijers-Hasegawa |first=Yumi |date=March 14, 2003 |title=Asahara maintains his silence |work=The Japan Times}}</ref> However, he communicated with the staff at his detention facility, which convinced the examiner that Asahara was [[Mute of malice|maintaining his silence out of free will]].<ref>{{cite news|date=July 6, 2018|title=Aum founder Shoko Asahara was mentally competent during detention, sources maintain |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/07/06/national/crime-legal/hanged-aum-founder-shoko-asahara-mentally-competent-detention-sources-maintain|work=The Japan Times|agency=Kyodo|access-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref> Owing to his lawyers' failure to submit the statement of reason for appeal, the [[Tokyo High Court]] decided on March 27, 2006, not to grant them leave to appeal.<ref>{{cite news|date=March 27, 2006|title=Japan: Tokyo court rejects appeal by cult leader against death sentence|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> This decision was upheld by the [[Supreme Court of Japan]] on September 15, 2006.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2006/09/16/national/asaharas-execution-finalized/|title=Asahara's execution finalized|last1=Hongo|first1=Jun|date=September 16, 2006|work=The Japan Times Online|access-date=July 9, 2018|last2=Wijers-Hasegawa|first2=Yumi|issn=0447-5763}}</ref> Two re-trial appeals were declined by the appellate court.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8903602/Japan-rejects-clemency-appeal-of-last-Aum-Shinrikyo-cult-member.html|title=Japan rejects clemency appeal of last Aum Shinrikyo cult member|last=Ryall|first=Julian|date=November 21, 2011|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=July 9, 2018|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> In June 2012, Asahara's execution was postponed due to arrests of several fugitive Aum Shinrikyo members.<ref name="yomiuri.co.jp"/>

Asahara was executed by hanging at the [[Tokyo Detention House]] on July 6, 2018, along with six other cult members.<ref name="asahara_death_bbc"/><ref name="asahara_death_jtimes"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/world/asia/japan-cult-execute-sarin.html|title=Japan Executes Cult Leader Behind 1995 Sarin Gas Subway Attack|last=Ramzy|first=Austin|date=July 5, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref> Relatives of victims said they approved the execution.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-06/leader-of-japan-doomsday-cult-involved-in-sarin-attack-executed/9947904|title=Japan's doomsday cult leader behind gas attack is executed|last=Sturmer|first=Jake|date=July 6, 2018|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|access-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref> Asahara's final words, as reported by officials, assigned his remains to his fourth daughter, who was unsympathetic to the cult and stated she planned to dispose of the ashes at sea; this was contested by Asahara's wife, third daughter, and other family members, who were suspected of wanting to enshrine the ashes where believers can honor them. Until 2024, the ashes remained at the Tokyo Detention House.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mori |first=Tatsuya |author-link=Mori Tatsuya |date=March 24, 2020 |title=地下鉄サリン25年 オウムと麻原の「死」で日本は救われたか |trans-title=Twenty-five years after the subway sarin attack, has Japan been redeemed by Aum and Asahara's death? |url=https://www.newsweekjapan.jp/stories/world/2020/03/25-26.php |language=ja |work=Newsweek Japan |access-date=July 4, 2020 }}</ref> In 2021, the [[Supreme Court of Japan]] ordered Asahara's remains to be released to his second daughter, which was affirmed by the [[Tokyo District Court]] in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |date=13 March 2024 |title=Japan court orders government to hand over AUM founder remains to daughter |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/03/3ca5c9f9c19f-japan-court-orders-govt-to-hand-over-aum-founder-remains-to-daughter.html |language=en |work=Kyodo News |access-date=14 March 2024}}</ref>