---

Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan
Jyly 8, 2004
www.yomiuri.co.jp

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 7787 • Posted: Wednesday July 7, 2004  

---

Aum Supreme Truth is still under the strong influence of its founder Chizuo Matsumoto–also known as Shoko Asahara–although its new leader, Fumihiro Joyu, attempted to reform the cult when he declared it had broken from the founder in February 2003.

Joyu’s reform attempt drew opposition from some followers and he has not appeared publicly since. He announced he was undergoing lengthy religious training.

Since Joyu has gone underground, Naruhito Noda and four other senior leaders have been running the cult under the original organizational set- up, with Matsumoto as its leader in absentia.

Noda, 37, was arrested on suspicion of violating the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law on Monday. He allegedly was involved in the unlicensed sale of medicines.

In March, one month after the Tokyo District Court sentenced Matsumoto to death, one of the five senior members told dozens of Aum followers gathered at its Kanto region facilities, “Our guru will continue to be in the center of us.”

The senior member also said: “Even if our guru is executed, he’ll only perish in body. His existence will still be absolute.”

Aum currently has about 650 live-in followers and about 1,000 lay followers. It has 26 facilities in Tokyo and 16 other prefectures.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Aum Shinrikyo Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Aum Shinrikyo Read Another Article Previous entry: Oregon archdiocese files for bankruptcy protection Next entry: Illegal earnings probed RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Aum Shinrikyo Most Popular Today Church of Scientology told to drop Churchill images I know the dark side of Scientology…I almost lost my friend when she became obsessed with it

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.