Prosecutors on Wednesday notified the Tokyo District Court that they have dropped four drug-manufacturing related charges against Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara in an attempt to speed up his trial.
Asahara is believed to be the mastermind behind the two sarin gas attacks in Japan in the mid-1990s and is also thought to be behind numerous other heinous crimes.
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office also suspect Asahara was involved in the illegal manufacture of amphetamines, mescaline, thiopental and LSD.