UFO Criticism by JN from Japan - 2001 01 - vol 1 no 1

Magazine Overview

Title: The UFO Criticism by J.N. from Japan
Issue: Vol.1 No.1
Date: January 2001
Publisher: Junji Numakawa
Country: Japan
Language: English (translated from Japanese context)

This publication is a personal journal by Junji Numakawa, a forty-eight-year-old Japanese man, who has been publishing a Japanese journal, 'UFO Hihyo' (The UFO Criticism by J.N.), since 1993. This English edition aims to share his opinions with overseas researchers. Numakawa acknowledges his English may be poor but hopes for understanding.

My Standpoint

Junji Numakawa states his personal viewpoint on UFO research. He categorizes Japanese UFO researchers into 'Sciencian' (Kagaku-ha) and 'Contactian' (Kontakuto-ha), though he finds this classification illogical. He himself identifies with neither. Numakawa believes it is impossible for science to prove the existence of UFOs and that skeptics are too credulous. While he privately believes that 'space people' made UFOs, he emphasizes that we should abandon the illusion of proof. He expresses no interest in 'SETI' and suggests that ideal space people, if they exist, would not land openly on our planet. Contact with them, he posits, would be secret and incomprehensible, like the Fatima incident. He argues that UFO phenomena, if created by ideal beings, are not incidental physical events but intentional coded messages, thus UFO study cannot contribute to science. He notes that early researchers concluded UFOs came from outer space, but suggests this conclusion was guided by the UFOs themselves. Numakawa has witnessed mysterious aerial phenomena, often resembling unknown natural phenomena, and believes UFOs can 'read our mind.' He states his interest in UFO study stems from their inherent attraction, not a desire for supernatural power.

On a UFO-shaped Boat in 1803

This article discusses an incident reported in Japanese essays from 1803, involving a UFO-shaped boat and a strange foreign woman drifting to Japanese waters near Ibaraki Prefecture. Mr. Kazuo Tanaka concluded in 'Skeptical Inquirer' that this was not a fact. However, Numakawa points out that the oldest report is from an 1803 'kawara-ban' (a type of popular newspaper). He notes that UFO researchers have known about this kawara-ban since 1996. The article includes a photograph of this kawara-ban, taken by Mr. Hirokazu Fujihira. Numakawa confirms that the beach mentioned in the report belongs to Kashima-gun. He addresses the complicated problem of the beach's name, which appears in different forms ('Hara-to-no-hama,' 'Harayadori,' 'Kyosha-ga-hama') across various reports. He suggests that 'Kyosha-ga-hama,' the oldest name, might have been misread over time, possibly due to similar handwriting styles of Japanese characters. He also notes the existence of a legend about 'Utsuho-fune' (hollow boat) in Kashima-gun, which shares meaning with 'Utsuro-fune' (hollow boat) used in reports of the 1803 incident. Numakawa connects the boat's illustration to a bowl shape and mentions that 'kama' (pot or kettle) can also be a name for a type of boat, relating it to the illustration of a 'kama' and the planet Saturn. He refutes Tanaka's explanation of 'accidental' resemblance, stating there are concrete reasons. He also draws parallels to Japanese fairy tales about boys using bowls as boats or emerging from peaches found in streams.

Abductees in Old Japan

This section explores historical Japanese accounts that resemble modern UFO 'abductions.' Numakawa suggests that if such an event had occurred in Japan, it could be easily compared to 'Kami-kakushi,' meaning 'Being hidden by Gods.' These historical reports often involved missing memories and mysterious transfers, with kidnappers appearing as human beings and no vehicles used. The article cites Kunio Yanagita's work on folklore, detailing an incident around 1877 in Kanazawa City where a young man went missing and later claimed a 'big man' had taken him. Numakawa also references Miyoko Natsutani's collection of modern folk stories, noting that 'Kami-kakushi' often targeted children and that the individuals involved were frequently familiar people. He then presents several accounts from the Edo period (1603-1867) found in 'Zuihitsu Jiten.' One story from 1689 in Edo describes a Samurai who disappeared from his locked room and returned 18 days later, claiming to have been taken to high mountains by a 'Yamabushi'-like figure. Another incident from 1810 in Asakusa, Edo, recounts a young naked man falling from the sky after worshiping at Atago Shrine. Numakawa acknowledges the lack of verifiable information for these old stories but finds similarities to modern 'abductions by aliens.' He posits that UFOs and aliens in contemporary abduction narratives might be mere 'accessories' for the space age, and that individuals with teleportation abilities could be responsible for mysterious 'abductions' through accidental operations, using these as 'stage properties' to make spectators believe in supernatural beings.

My Roswell Watching

Numakawa offers a skeptical perspective on the Roswell incident of 1947. He suggests that the wreckage was likely that of a balloon or balloons, possibly from an American bomber group that attacked Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He criticizes the 'UFO-assertion' as full of invalid evidence, particularly recollections of figures resembling ancient Egyptian or Chinese characters, arguing that Japanese people use multiple writing systems (Kan-ji, Hira-gana, Kata-kana) and that Egyptian characters do not resemble them. He questions why a high-ranking military officer would consult a civilian undertaker about a burned body and why there is more information than testimony in affidavits. Numakawa states he believes in the faithfulness of witnesses but not their memory, as he cannot trust his own memory of distant past events.

Sky People Report Meeting

This section reports on a lecture given by Mr. Kiyoshi Amamiya, a UFO researcher from Tenri City, Nara Prefecture, on June 25, 2000, in Tokyo. The lecture, titled 'Tenku-jin Hokoku Kai' ('Sky People Report Meeting'), was attended by thirty-five people, including one foreigner. The event was supported by the 'Tenku-jin Kyokai' (Sky People Association), a UFO study group founded in 1992, of which Amamiya is the director of 'West Japan.' Amamiya has published a personal magazine, 'THE UFO RESEARCHER,' since 1989, written books, and has connections with Chinese researchers. He is described as a disciple of contactee Mr. Yusuke Natsumura and was the second editor of 'Soratobu Enban Daijesuto.' Amamiya reportedly discussed his own experiences, including seeing a UFO proceed horizontally on August 30, 1961, in Tokyo, which he believes knew his field of view. The lecture included videotapes and 240 slides. Attendees were given a pamphlet detailing Amamiya's forty years of UFO study. Notable researchers present included Mr. Shinichiro Namiki (President of JSPS) and Mr. Takao Ikeda (Vice-president of JSPS). The venue was the same place where Lord Clancarty had lectured previously.

Is this a Near Miss with a UFO ??

This article details a near miss incident involving a Japanese passenger plane, Boeing 737-200 JA8528, and an unknown plane on November 14, 1998, over the Pacific Ocean, approximately 110 km west-southwest of Nii-jima. Five people were injured. A report by the Investigation Committee on Air Accidents of the Ministry of Transport was publicized on January 28, 2000. The copilot reported seeing two white strobe lights that rapidly separated and made a dive to avoid collision, while the captain was watching meters. A passenger witnessed a plane that seemed to be flying in the opposite direction, described as stocky and possibly having a white light. No radar detected the object, and no private or military planes corresponded to it. The committee could not identify the lights. A TV newscaster referred to it as a 'UFO,' while a physicist suggested 'plasma.' Numakawa compares this to a classic American case from July 24, 1948, but notes the Japanese object showed no marvelous characteristics. He speculates it might have been an American B-2 bomber, which would be difficult for ordinary radar to detect, especially given the geopolitical tensions at the time. Mr. Masaya Komagamine of the Kazuno UFO Research Association is mentioned as questioning whether a B-2 could be seen through a windowpane under the given lighting conditions. The article also briefly discusses skeptics' views on similar cases, attributing them to meteors or rocket boosters, and questions why no drawing of the object was obtained or published.

From My Sightings

Junji Numakawa recounts two personal sightings. The first occurred on April 30, 1995, at his home in Akazutsumi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. He observed three strange lighted parts in the sky, with the middle one appearing as a blueish-white long sideways light. This light later changed into a complicated, cigar-shaped standing luminous body leaning to the left, before disappearing suddenly. He recorded this on video, but notes the tape is not sufficient evidence. The second sighting involved a video taken on December 3, 1994, in Akazutsumi and Matsubara, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. The object resembled a moon covered with clouds, though there was no moon at the time. The indicated time on the video (7:23:29 PM) is noted as being slightly in error.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around skepticism towards conventional UFO research, a critical examination of historical and modern UFO accounts, and the presentation of personal sightings. Junji Numakawa's editorial stance is clearly one of critical inquiry, urging readers to question assumptions and avoid definitive conclusions based on insufficient evidence. He emphasizes the importance of scientific rigor while acknowledging the allure of the unknown. The magazine also highlights Japanese UFO history and folklore, attempting to contextualize modern phenomena within a broader cultural and historical framework. The publication appears to be aimed at researchers interested in a more analytical and less sensational approach to the UFO subject.