Knowra Tokyo subway sarin attack Tokyo subway sarin attack A coordinated terrorist attack on Tokyo’s subway system on March 20, 1995, in which Aum Shinrikyo members released sarin, killing 13 people and injuring thousands.
Sarin : A highly toxic organophosphorus nerve agent that disrupts the nervous system by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase. Attackers punctured sarin-filled packages aboard trains, exposing passengers and station staff.
Aum Shinrikyo : A Japanese new religious movement founded by Shoko Asahara that developed into a violent apocalyptic organization. Its members carried out the subway attack under the group’s direction.
Kenichi Hirose : An Aum Shinrikyo member who released sarin on the Marunouchi Line during the 1995 Tokyo subway attack. He was one of the five attackers who carried sarin onto targeted trains.
Organophosphate poisoning : Toxic effects caused by substances that inhibit acetylcholinesterase, including pesticides and nerve agents. Sarin casualties required clinicians to recognize and treat a mass episode of this poisoning.
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor : A substance that blocks the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, causing acetylcholine to accumulate at nerve junctions. Sarin’s inhibition of this enzyme produced the attack’s rapidly escalating symptoms.
Shoko Asahara : The founder and leader of Aum Shinrikyo, convicted of crimes including directing the Tokyo subway sarin attack. He led the organization whose senior members planned and ordered the operation.
Ikuo Hayashi : An Aum Shinrikyo physician who participated in the Tokyo subway sarin attack and later assisted investigators. He drove one of the attackers to the subway and helped expose the group’s role.
Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense : Preparedness and response measures for threats involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear hazards. The attack exposed gaps in Japan’s ability to manage a chemical mass-casualty event.
Chiyoda Line : A Tokyo Metro railway line running through central Tokyo. One of the five subway lines targeted in the coordinated attack.
Aum Shinrikyo chemical weapons program : Aum Shinrikyo’s clandestine effort to manufacture and deploy chemical agents, including sarin. The subway attack drew on the group’s earlier sarin production and testing.
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