Staff writer

Two precedents were set in the life prison term handed down Tuesday by the Tokyo District Court to Dr. Ikuo Hayashi of Aum Shinrikyo for his role in the March 1995 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

The first is that the court sentenced someone who had conspired to commit mass murder to life in prison instead of death. The other is that Hayashi is the first of 14 cultists charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the gas attack to be sentenced. The attack was allegedly ordered by Aum founder Shoko Asahara, who is still on trial.