On March 20, 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult carried out coordinated chemical attacks on Tokyo’s subway system during the morning rush hour. Cult operatives released sarin gas on five separate trains across three subway lines, puncturing plastic bags and leaving behind small paper bags wrapped in newspapers to conceal the leaks. The attacks killed 13 people immediately, injured thousands, and sent more than 5,000 survivors to hospitals for treatment of sarin exposure and related symptoms