Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2008, Page 40
anti-Aum movement, both of which were supported by human-rights activists, government,
and police, was very complicated. A conspiracy theory is not necessary to explain the facts,
especially since there is no direct evidence of government manipulation of anti-Aum
residents.
Regional Case
Chitose-Karasuyama
Chitose-Karasuyama, a quiet residential area in Setagaya Ward in Tokyo, is a 15-minute
ride from Shinjuku Station. If you pass the Setagaya Karasuyama Community Center in
front of the station, cross the old Koshu Highway, and follow a side street for about 20
meters, you will find more than 100 Aleph members residing together under Fumihiro Joyu
in the five-story Chitose-Karasuyama GS Heim condominium and the two 2-story
apartments across from it. Located in front of the Heim condo is a police box where the
police officers maintain order by monitoring Aleph‘s movements till late at night. During the
day, two people from the Council for Countermeasures stand guard.
Ever since the Aleph members moved into Karasuyama, an anti-Aleph movement consisting
of local residents has been active. This period, between late 2000 and 2005, can be divided
into three shorter periods. Period One was when Setagaya Ward was campaigning as a
municipality against the residence registration of Aleph members in 2001 and 2002 (Note
1). In Period Two, Setagaya Ward exchanged information with municipalities engaged in
similar disputes with Aum and switched its strategy to urging relevant agencies and the
federal government to carry out anti-Aum countermeasures. At the same time, the Council
for Countermeasures explored various options by regularly holding study group meetings on
the cult issue. Period Three was the era of the ―fight against the fading of the movement,‖
according to the Council for Countermeasures. Although a very small number of ward
councilmen and officials still maintain a strong interest in their local residents, local
administrators can do little but conduct surveillance. The morale of the condominium
residents is still high, yet there is a slight inconsistency in their principles one is willing to
accept a ―soft-landing‖ approach, while the other insists that all Aleph members in the area
must leave. In November 2003, the condominium residents launched the ―Citizens‘ Group to
Protect Setagaya Ward from Aum,‖ apart from the existing Council for Countermeasures.
While the Council‘s goal is to bring about comprehensive anti-Aleph legislation, the
condominium residents want to see more direct, short-term anti-Aleph movements and
measures.
Period One
On December 19, 2000, thirteen followers of Aleph separately presented their moving-in
notification to twelve branch offices of Setagaya Ward simultaneously, apparently to conceal
that it was a group relocation. The ward office became aware that they were Aleph followers
on the 21st, proceeded to cancel their newly created resident cards, and deleted them from
the resident register. Nonetheless, followers were able to move into the first and second
floor of GS Heim on the 20th, because the owner of those floors made a direct lease to Aleph
without notifying his condominium neighbors. Anxious condominium residents gave
followers a written request to leave the building.
Aleph members, however, claimed their presence to be lawful and conducted reconstruction
work on the 1st floor for a seminary hall and on the 2nd floor for Fumihiro Joyu, a new leader
of Aleph. On January 4th, 2001, a right-wing organization member who hated Aleph, fired
four bullets at the first floor and was subsequently arrested. While condo residents
anxiously consulted with the ward office and police, Aleph members moved into two
apartments on the opposite side of GS Heim owned by the same person. As of 2006, there
are more than one hundred members of Aleph in the condominium and two apartments.
anti-Aum movement, both of which were supported by human-rights activists, government,
and police, was very complicated. A conspiracy theory is not necessary to explain the facts,
especially since there is no direct evidence of government manipulation of anti-Aum
residents.
Regional Case
Chitose-Karasuyama
Chitose-Karasuyama, a quiet residential area in Setagaya Ward in Tokyo, is a 15-minute
ride from Shinjuku Station. If you pass the Setagaya Karasuyama Community Center in
front of the station, cross the old Koshu Highway, and follow a side street for about 20
meters, you will find more than 100 Aleph members residing together under Fumihiro Joyu
in the five-story Chitose-Karasuyama GS Heim condominium and the two 2-story
apartments across from it. Located in front of the Heim condo is a police box where the
police officers maintain order by monitoring Aleph‘s movements till late at night. During the
day, two people from the Council for Countermeasures stand guard.
Ever since the Aleph members moved into Karasuyama, an anti-Aleph movement consisting
of local residents has been active. This period, between late 2000 and 2005, can be divided
into three shorter periods. Period One was when Setagaya Ward was campaigning as a
municipality against the residence registration of Aleph members in 2001 and 2002 (Note
1). In Period Two, Setagaya Ward exchanged information with municipalities engaged in
similar disputes with Aum and switched its strategy to urging relevant agencies and the
federal government to carry out anti-Aum countermeasures. At the same time, the Council
for Countermeasures explored various options by regularly holding study group meetings on
the cult issue. Period Three was the era of the ―fight against the fading of the movement,‖
according to the Council for Countermeasures. Although a very small number of ward
councilmen and officials still maintain a strong interest in their local residents, local
administrators can do little but conduct surveillance. The morale of the condominium
residents is still high, yet there is a slight inconsistency in their principles one is willing to
accept a ―soft-landing‖ approach, while the other insists that all Aleph members in the area
must leave. In November 2003, the condominium residents launched the ―Citizens‘ Group to
Protect Setagaya Ward from Aum,‖ apart from the existing Council for Countermeasures.
While the Council‘s goal is to bring about comprehensive anti-Aleph legislation, the
condominium residents want to see more direct, short-term anti-Aleph movements and
measures.
Period One
On December 19, 2000, thirteen followers of Aleph separately presented their moving-in
notification to twelve branch offices of Setagaya Ward simultaneously, apparently to conceal
that it was a group relocation. The ward office became aware that they were Aleph followers
on the 21st, proceeded to cancel their newly created resident cards, and deleted them from
the resident register. Nonetheless, followers were able to move into the first and second
floor of GS Heim on the 20th, because the owner of those floors made a direct lease to Aleph
without notifying his condominium neighbors. Anxious condominium residents gave
followers a written request to leave the building.
Aleph members, however, claimed their presence to be lawful and conducted reconstruction
work on the 1st floor for a seminary hall and on the 2nd floor for Fumihiro Joyu, a new leader
of Aleph. On January 4th, 2001, a right-wing organization member who hated Aleph, fired
four bullets at the first floor and was subsequently arrested. While condo residents
anxiously consulted with the ward office and police, Aleph members moved into two
apartments on the opposite side of GS Heim owned by the same person. As of 2006, there
are more than one hundred members of Aleph in the condominium and two apartments.
