The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the death penalty for key Aum Shinrikyo figure Tomomasa Nakagawa for his role in the cult's two deadly nerve gas attacks and other heinous crimes.
Nakagawa, 49, a former physician, is the 12th Aum member whose sentence was finalized. He could still file an objection over technicalities such as an error in the wording of the ruling within 10 days, but the top court rarely accepts such moves.
Nakagawa was convicted in connection with the March 20, 1995 sarin attack on the Tokyo subway system that killed 13 people and left thousands ill, and the June 27, 1994, sarin attack in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, that killed eight.
The top court also plans to rule Monday on an appeal filed by senior Aum member Seiichi Endo, 51, a veterinarian and virologist who has also been sentenced to hang over the gas attacks.
Nakagawa also was condenmed for the cult's November 1989 murders of anti-Aum lawyer Tsutsumi Sakamoto, 33, and his wife, Satoko, 29, and their son, Tatsuhiko, 1.
Condemned Aum founder Shoko Asahara, 56, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, was found guilty of masterminding the crimes. The guru, whose sentence has also been finalized, was found guilty for 27 murders in 13 criminal cases, initially by the Tokyo District Court in February 2004.
Monday's Supreme Court decision on Endo's appeal will effectively end more than 16 years of investigation and trials for Asahara and 188 of his disciples. All were found guilty. Three cultists remain on the wanted list.