A private university in Tokyo said it has rejected the enrollment of a previously accepted 20-year-old applicant after the school found out she is a daughter of Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara.
Osamu Mihashi, president of Wako University, said that because of who the young woman is, her presence "might deprive other students of the opportunity to study in a calm environment. It was an agonizing decision, and I know there may also be criticism from society."
Asahara, 49, was recently sentenced to death for masterminding the cult's heinous crimes.
Wako University said it had earlier notified the daughter that she had been accepted based on her national entrance exam results. But the school decided to reconsider after her status as Asahara's daughter was revealed in enrollment documents she later submitted.
The school, a four-year liberal arts college in Machida, western Tokyo, said it sent a letter of rejection Friday that states: "At this time, we came to the conclusion that we could not accept you to our school due to various circumstances. Please understand our position."