The government intends to withdraw a claim for more than 400 million yen against Aum Shinrikyo, which has been declared bankrupt, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka indicated March 18.
Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers are preparing a bill to have the government forfeit its rights so that other creditors and claimants from the general public can obtain more repayments or redress, Muraoka told a regular news conference. "I've heard that the planned legislation is to be proposed after the group of LDP legislators consults with lawmakers in other parties," Muraoka said.
Under the Fiscal Law, the state cannot renounce a financial claim once it has been registered, unless it does so through legal steps. Consequently, the state cannot take action on its own accord to drop its financial claims against the cult, whose members stand accused of several heinous crimes, including two lethal nerve gas attacks.