Aum trying to increase its appeal

Japan Today/December 23, 2001

Tokyo -- The Aum Shinrikyo cult, which now calls itself Aleph, is trying to increase its appeal by portraying itself as an "open cult" in an effort to expand its operations, the Public Security Investigation Agency said Saturday.

The agency said in an annual report that Aum has established new headquarters at three Minami-Karasuyama condominium complexes in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward, where the cult's regional leaders from across Japan meet monthly.