Mainichi ordered to publish correction for AUM story

Kyodo (Japan), Apr. 11, 2001
http://home.kyodo.co.jp/
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TOKYO April 11 Kyodo - The Tokyo High Court ordered the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper Wednesday to publish a correction over a report on the AUM Shinrikyo religious cult run May 26 last year.

But the ruling rejected the cult's compensation claim.

AUM claimed in a libel suit filed against Mainichi Newspaper Co., the paper's publisher, May 29 last year that the report unfairly gave the impression it was continuing to manufacture deadly sarin gas, and sought 10 million yen in compensation.

The Tokyo District Court rejected the suit, leading AUM to file an appeal with the high court Dec. 18.

Presiding Judge Takaharu Kondo said two headlines run nearby to each other reading ''Sarin research continues'' and ''AUM'' might have given the false impression at first glance that the cult was still researching the production of sarin gas.

However, the judge said, ''If a reader reads the entire story, they will not have such an impression,'' and that the story did not defame the cult.
(...)

''The ruling was unexpected,'' the Mainichi said. ''We will decide how to deal with the issue after examining the court ruling.''
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See also:
» The story referred to : AUM still pursuing sarin studies, Mainichi Daily News (Japan (../japan-00.html)), May 26, 2000

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