Japan’s subway system was paralyzed by a deadly nerve-gas attack in 1995. The attack struck Tokyo’s subway during the morning rush hour on March 20, 1995.
Members of Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese apocalyptic cult led by Shoko Asahara, carried liquid sarin onto trains running on three Tokyo subway lines. They punctured plastic bags of the nerve agent with sharpened umbrella tips, allowing sarin to leak into crowded train cars and stations. The coordinated attack targeted routes passing through Kasumigaseki, an area containing Japan’s government ministries and National Diet.
The Tokyo subway sarin attack killed 14 people, with some later deaths attributed to the incident, and injured thousands more. Many victims suffered breathing problems, visual disturbances and severe neurological symptoms. The attack caused a major emergency response and temporarily disrupted the city’s extensive commuter network.
A common mix-up is confusing this incident with the 1994 Matsumoto sarin attack, also carried out by Aum Shinrikyo. That earlier attack helped establish the group’s use of chemical weapons, but the 1995 Tokyo incident is the famous subway attack.