The news that Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara would be executed, was met Friday with relief and sadness from victims of the sarin gas attacks and their families Friday.
They were glad to hear that the Supreme Court had rejected an appeal from Asahara's lawyers, but said their hardships will still continue.
"I have been longing for his death sentence to be finalized for 11 years and six months since my husband was killed in the sarin gas attack," Shizue Takahashi, spokeswoman for a victim's group, told a hastily arranged news conference in Tokyo.