Japan to digitize 1995 sarin attack medical records

Japan's health ministry will begin electronic preservation of medical records from the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo. The project is set to start as early as April. The attack was carried out by the Aum Shinrikyo cult and targeted the subway system. In addition to preserving records, the ministry will interview medical professionals who treated the victims. This will help gather oral histories before these professionals age. A ministry official highlighted the importance of passing down this information to future generations. A study group formed by the ministry in 2019 found that the records from the sarin attack are valuable. They called these medical records "precious historical and intellectual property." The group emphasized the need to sort and preserve these documents to aid in future responses to biochemical threats. A survey led by Tetsu Okumura showed that among 39 medical institutions that treated victims, only six of the 14 that responded still keep treatment records. Many institutions reportedly discarded records after the mandatory five-year retention period ended. The ministry plans to allocate about ¥4.4 million for digitizing these records while ensuring privacy protection. They also intend to publish the interviews with medical professionals about their experiences during the attack.