Aum Shinrikyo's one-time chemist filed an appeal Tuesday against the death sentence he received last week for his role in producing the sarin gas used in two deadly nerve gas attacks and six other criminal counts.
Masami Tsuchiya, 39, filed his appeal with the Tokyo High Court.
On Friday, the Tokyo District Court convicted Tsuchiya of playing a key role in the murder of 13 people in crimes committed by the cult, including producing the nerve gas used the March 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack that killed 12 people and injured thousands.