Fumihiro Joyu

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Fumihiro Joyu (上祐史浩 Jōyū Fumihiro; born 17 December 1962) was the spokesperson and public relations manager of the controversial Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo, and has been the de facto chief of the organization since 1999.

Biography

Fumihiro Joyu, originally from the Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyushu island, graduated from Waseda University, one of Japan's most prestigious private colleges, with an M.A. degree in Artificial Intelligence. A few years later, he joined Aum Shinrikyo, at the time an obscure religious group founded by Shoko Asahara. Known for his relentless ascetic practice, he quickly advanced through the organisation's ranks. He was the head of New York branch of Aum Shinrikyo and translated several books by Shoko Asahara into English. After the cessation of Aum Shnrikyo activities in the US, he served as its public relations manager in Japan. From 1993 until 1995, he served as head of Aum's Russian branches.

Summoned to Japan on the wave of arrests of senior followers following the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway; resumed his position as Aum Shinrikyo's spokesperson. Arrested and tried for "inciting others to make false statements during [1992] court hearings". Some observers linked Joyu's indictment to a supposed government attempt to "decapitate the cult". The arrest, lengthy trial and subsequent acquittal of Japan's veteran attorney and Human Rights activist Yoshihiro Yasuda, then head of Shoko Asahara's legal team, a move which was harshly criticized by Human Rights Watch, is often cited in support of this hypothesis. Sentenced to three years in prison. Released 1999.

At his release on 29 December 1999, Joyu became the de facto head of the organisation. Under his leadership, Aum Shinrikyo has changed its name to Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The group has admitted responsibility for the various incidents involving some of its former senior members, including the Tokyo Subway gas attack, delivered apologies to the victims and established a special compensations fund. Some of the controversial doctrines that previously attracted criticisms were removed.

Joyu's attempts to soften tensions with the society did not win him much praise, though. Judging by the statements made by the country's government officials and unanimously critical media coverage, Aleph is still regarded as a threat.

Leadership disputes over the Aleph's future initiated by Joyu has finally split the group into 2 opposing fractions by the end of 2005, according to Japan's media quoting the PSIA (Public Security Investigative Agency, Japan's FBI counterpart that monitors Aleph in accordance with a specific anti-Aum law enacted by Diet, Japan's Parliament in 1999). While the fundamentalist fraction wishes to keep the organization as close to its pre-1995 ideal, Joyu and his reformer supporters advocate a milder course, aimed at softening social tensions and re-integration into society.

An Icon for Teenage Girls

'During the height of Aum Shinrikyo arrests [...], Japan's teenaged girls found an icon: Joyu Fumihiro, the cult's "Information Minister." They had not the slightest interest in AUM, religious experience or Buddha but were crazy about Joyu because he was a "heart throb" as the press cynically wrote.' (from 'Slapstick on the Precipice: The Ascent of Koizumi Junichiro' by Alex Shishin). ([Full article: http://www.zmag.org/japanwatch/0106-Koizumi.html]

Named 'Virtuoso AUM Recruiter' by Asiaweek. Opinions on whether Joyu's charisma and popularity contributed to his legal troubles vary.

External links

[Joyu Fumihiro's private website (in Japanese)] - Includes diaries, Q&A section, articles on subjects ranging from religion to world politics. Heavy flash-based graphics, many pictures of Joyu himself.

"Air raids that victimize innocent people can only lead to the next terrorism and prolonged warfare." [Fumihiro Joyu's views on the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the War on Terror and terrorism in general (in English)]. Excerpted and summarized from his private homepage.

[Japan Times: "You Just Have to Ask"] - Reports on two documentary films by Tatsuya Mori, that received awards at the Berlin Documentary Film Festival, shown in Japan only theatrically. The films feature hours of footage, shot inside the AUM facilities, including Fumihiro Joyu's everyday activities.

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