The trials related to Aum Shinrikyo, the doomsday cult that executed the deadly sarin attack on the Tokyo subway system in 1995, are close to ending after the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a former cultist.

The top court's decision dated Thursday upheld a high court's life sentence on Katsuya Takahashi, 59, who was accused of murder in the sarin attack. He was the last of the former members still being tried.

With the conclusion of all of the trials, judicial authorities will likely shift their focus to the possible execution of Aum founder Shoko Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto. Asahara was given the death penalty for masterminding the 1995 attack, among other charges.