Tens of Millions of Yen in Cash Seized from Residence of Matsumoto’s Widow; Family of Executed Aum Leader Remain Under Official Surveillance

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:26 JST, July 16, 2025

SAITAMA — A search by the Saitama prefectural police uncovered tens of millions of yen in cash in an apartment in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, where the widow and second son of Chizuo Matsumoto, the executed founder of the Aum Supreme Truth cult, reside, investigative sources said Tuesday.

The search was conducted on suspicion of violation of the Law on the Control of Organizations Which Have Committed Acts of Indiscriminate Mass Murder.

Public security authorities are investigating the source of the funds.

Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara, was executed in 2018.

Aum has split and factionalized multiple times. Currently, the primary successor organization, Aleph, along with splinter groups such as Hikari no Wa (“Circle of Rainbow Light”) and Yamadara no Shudan (“The Yamada group”), remain active. All three organizations are considered to be under the influence of the late Matsumoto, and as such, have been subject to monitoring under the aforementioned law since 2000. The Public Security Intelligence Agency has maintained surveillance through on-site inspections.

According to the investigative sources, the agency attempted an on-site inspection of the Koshigaya apartment in March this year, in accordance with the law. However, the widow refused to comply. Consequently, the Saitama prefectural police, acting on a complaint from the agency, conducted a search of the apartment in April, leading to the discovery of tens of millions of yen in cash.

The agency has conducted a total of about 600 inspections of sites belonging to the three organizations, but targeting the base of Matsumoto’s family is considered unusual.

According to public security officials, Matsumoto is believed to have named his second son as one of his successors. There are also thought to be movements within Aleph to appoint Matsumoto’s second son the position of “guru,” prompting the agency to intensify its vigilance over the activities of both.

Aleph has been ordered to pay over ¥1 billion in compensation to victims of the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system and other incidents. However, they have so far failed to do so.