Yoshihiro Yasuda - Asahara Trial

Asahara Trial

Yasuda was one of the defenders for Shoko Asahara, founder of the religious cult group Aum Shinrikyo, which has been accused of various crimes, including the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack. In 1998, during Asahara's trial, Yasuda was arrested and charged with obstruction of the compulsory execution concerning a corporation in which he was an adviser. Some critics pointed out that this accusation was implemented because prosecutors were angry at Yasuda's court tactics to delay the trial as long as possible to avoid the sentence of a highly possible death penalty for Asahara. 1200 lawyers listed as Yasuda's defenders, and Japan Federation of Bar Associations and Amnesty International protested that this accusation was unfair. In 2003 the Tokyo District Court acquitted him of all charges, but the Tokyo prosecutors office appealed the case to a higher court, and the trial is going on as of May 2007.