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29 year old Shoko Asahara, born Chizuo Matsumoto, establishes the "AUM Shinsen no Kai" religion. He later renames it to "AUM Shinrikyo -
AUM Shinrikyo is prevalent during this era, led by doomsday guru Shoko Asahara. The timespan between the years 1984 and 1995 encompasses the rise of the cult and the major incidents the cult is responsible for.
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AUM Shinrikyo begins to gain a substantial amount of popularity, presented as an eclectic mix of Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and Christian beliefs. The group gains the majority of its initial influential members during this time. -
Shoko Asahara publishes his first book, "Supreme Initiation." This book attempts to present the idea that supreme truth can be discovered through empirical, scientific methods tested by him. -
Shoko Asahara is invited as a interviewee on a television show. In his interview, he presents himself as a doomsday guru and makes the memorable statement "I think we are the most scientific of religions." -
AUM Shinrikyo members murder Lawyer Tsutsumi Sakamoto, his wife and their 1-year-old son at their home in Yokohama. -
AUM Shinrikyo members run in the House of Representatives election and are not elected. -
Shoko Asahara visits Osaka University to present a prophecy about impending doom threatening Japan between the years 1996 and 1998. He claims "Allied forces led by Americans will be at the center of it." -
Shoko Asahara makes a major prophetic speech to his cult members about an earth-shattering he predicted to occur between the years 1997 and 2001. The war would occur within the Middle East and was deemed the "Final War" by Asahara. -
Aum begins construction of a facility to produce the nerve agent Sarin at its compound in the village of Kamikuishiki, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The facility is not completed, but the cult succeeds in making supplies of Sarin for use in attacks later. -
AUM Shinrikyo members release nerve gas in a residential area of city of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. Eight people are killed and more than 100 others injured. -
The Tokyo District Court orders the dissolution of Aum Shinrikyo. -
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police begin searches of all Aum Shinrikyo facilities. -
Aum members kidnap Kariya Kiyoshi, brother to a wealthy woman who had escaped the cult, to force him to reveal her whereabouts. They imprison him at the Kamikuishiki compound before killing him with an overdose of anesthetics and disposing of his corpse. -
AUM Shinrikyo's leader, Shoko Asahara, begins losing influence after his arrest. AUM Shinrikyo, later renamed Aleph, slowly loses members without a leader. The major cult members are convicted and sentenced accordingly.
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Thirteen people are killed and over 6,200 injured in a sarin gas attack directed by AUM Shinrikyo members. -
The day after the gas attack on the Tokyo Subway, Asahara sends out a radio message to his followers prompting them to continue to assist him in his "salvataion plan" with no regrets or hesitation. -
Japanese police arrest Shoko Asahara on suspicion of murder in connection with the deadly poison gas attack. Asahara was discovered hiding in a secret chamber at the Kamikuishiki compound, the base of AUM in Yamanashi, Japan. -
Former AUM spokesman Jōyū Fumihiro is released from prison. He rejoins AUM Shinrikyo and takes a leading role in the remaining group. -
The AUM Shinrikyo group officially renames itself Aleph. Aleph, in Jewish mysticism, represents the oneness of God. -
The Tokyo District Court sentences Asahara to death. Asahara's legal team appeals this sentence. -
The Japanese court responsible for sentencing Asahara dismisses the appeal made by his legal team and finalizes his death sentence.