Cult members responsible for Hamaguchi slaying

[November 13, 1998]

On December 12, 1994, Tadahito Hamaguchi, 28, suspected of collecting private information on the Aum Shin Rikyo religious cult, was attacked on his way to work by cult members who sprayed nerve gas on his neck. Hamaguchi died 10 days later.

His parents sought 130 million yen in compensation. The court ordered Aum leader Shoko Asahara and three other AUM members to make financial restitution to the Hamaguchi family in September 1996, but the restitution was never made.

A current ruling by the Osaka District Court on Monday found four additional individuals associated with the cult responsible for the Hamaguchi killing. The cult members were ordered by presiding Judge Makoto Wakabayashi to pay a combined 120 million yen to the bereaved parents.

A compromise of 110 million yen was agreed to between the cult's bankruptcy administrator and Hamaguchi's parents in 1997, but the current ruling will obligate the convicted cult members to pay the remaining amount. However, lawyers for the plaintiffs claim there is little possibility the payment will be made.

Responsible cult members include Tomomitsu Niimi, 34, currently under trial at the Tokyo District Court where his plea of not guilty was overthrown; former senior Aum member Akira Yamagata, 33, sentenced to 20 years in prison for attacking a total of three people (which includes the attack on Hamaguchi) with the deadly nerve gas agent VX between December 1994 and January 1995; Tomomasa Nakagawa, 36, currently under trial; and former follower Katsuya Takahashi, 40, currently at large.