On March 20, 2025, Japan commemorates the 30th anniversary of the tragic sarin gas attack that rocked the Tokyo subway system, leading to a pivotal reflection on the lives changed by the incident and the ongoing challenges faced by survivors. The attack, executed by the cult group Aum Shinrikyo in 1995, left thirteen dead and over a thousand injured, altering the course of many lives, including that of filmmaker and author Hiroshi Araki.
Araki, who was an employee at the advertising agency Dentsu that fateful morning, describes his experience during the attack. As he entered the Hibiya line subway car, he spotted a wet newspaper on the floor leaking a strange liquid. Although he initially ignored the sight, the fearful glances of fellow passengers prompted him to turn back, an instinct that potentially saved his life. “If I had walked to my seat, I could have been engulfed in the lethal nerve agent,” he recalls.
The shockwaves from the attack did not end with immediate casualties; they continued to reverberate through Araki’s life. At age 19, he was attending preparatory courses in Kyoto, with aspirations that changed significantly after he experienced the loss of a close friend to suicide following the stress of failing university entrance exams. This tragic event reinforced Araki’s resolve to succeed, resulting in several attempts to pass the exams before finally enrolling at Shiga University.
Education and film became Araki’s path, leading him to the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned an MBA. His short film “Bean Cake ohagi,” co-produced while at Berkeley, won the prestigious Golden Palm Branch at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001, marking a significant milestone in his growing career.
Despite his professional successes, the scars from the sarin attack lingered. In 2010, reflecting on his experience, Araki published an autobiographical book titled “Sarin and Ohagi” as a way to advocate for victims of the attack. However, on that memorial day, he conveniently highlighted a critical issue: victims were being denied life insurance. “I recounted my traumas honestly, yet insurance managers would cease communication afterward. It’s as if they feared the long-term PTSD consequences,” he expressed, shedding light on the bureaucratic challenges faced by survivors.
With the Japanese government finally starting to compensate victims, Araki received a small amount but felt it inadequate. He voiced his concerns during board meetings of the NGO he worked with, only to be dismissed with a statement claiming no future PTSD effects would arise.
Life threw Araki more challenges, including a serious health scare that led to a compression fracture in his lumbar vertebrae. This incident forced him to return to his parent’s home in Kyoto, where he masterfully transitioned from a troubled filmmaker into an educator, teaching production at a school in Osaka. It was here that the idea for a new documentary was born, “AGANAI: The Sarin Attack in the Metro and Me,” a film that intertwines personal struggle and historical reflection through a survivor's lens.
In 2014, he held two days of intense dialogues with Dzyoyu Fumihira, a former public relations head for Aum Shinrikyo. This engagement influenced Araki’s work as he continued to gather narratives to enrich his film and published the book “20 Years After the Sarin Attack in the Metro: Interviews Made by the Perpetrator.” Fumihira provided insights that resonated with Araki’s mission to counter the cult’s ideology.
2018 marked a significant year when the death penalty was executed for several perpetrators involved in the sarin attack, an event that brought mixed feelings to victims like Araki, who struggled with their healing process.
Confronted with the lack of support for victims in organizations like the “Association of Victims of the Sarin Attack,” Araki channeled his frustration into action. In 2021, he established the “Association of Victims of the Sarin Attack,” aiming to connect victims, share valuable information, and assist those economically affected by the tragedy. The association also organized annual ceremonies in memory of the victims, cementing a pathway for remembrance.
By March 20, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Araki's film was released, garnering crucial attention and accolades at international documentary film festivals, signaling that survivor stories need to be told and heard. Although not a box-office hit, the film exhibited a 100% favorable rating from online critics and received the Grand Prix at the EDIF documentary festival in South Korea, making waves in the cinematic world.
In March 2022, Araki shared his ongoing commitment to publish accounts of sarin attack victims, enlightening the public on the unseen struggles they endure. His words echoed the depth of hidden trauma, stating, “Some may dismiss the connection of my friend’s suicide with the sarin attack, but the inner scars linger profoundly.” With his extensive knowledge and passion, he aimed to shape the future generations through education technology by founding a new EdTech company, alongside a student from Osaka.
Exploring further horizons, he has begun a doctoral program at Tsukuba University, focusing on a unique approach to dialectics that involves a blend of creative engagement and healing. By allocating a portion of his film revenues to aid victims, he's taking substantial strides in bringing changes through a personal and collective journey. As Araki embarks on an uncertain yet hopeful pathway, he dreams of delivering talks worldwide, intertwined with his experiences in education, literature, and cinema.
Araki’s resolve reflects the resilient spirit of survivors, showcasing how one can rise above adversity, united in purpose—to never forget the past while inspiring a brighter future. His journey emphasizes the necessity of dialogue and reflection, bridging the gap between tragedies and healing, making way for understanding, hope, and compassion in society.
