The UFO Criticism by J.N. from Japan

Magazine Overview

Title: The UFO Criticism by J.N. from Japan
Issue: Vol.4 No.1
Date: June 2004
Publisher: Junji Numakawa
Country: Japan
Type: Magazine Issue

"Dogu": Current Perspective

This issue focuses on the "Shakoki Dogu," a type of prehistoric Japanese clay doll from the Jomon period (approximately 12,000 to 2,300 years ago), and the persistent theory that these artifacts are representations of ancient space suits.

The Space Suit Theory Origins

The article traces the origin of the space suit theory to a two-page article in the September 1962 issue of "Soratobu Enban Nyusu" (The Flying Saucer News), a publication of the Japanese UFO group Cosmic Brotherhood Association (CBA). The theory was reportedly put forward by an "American student who visited Japan recently," identified as Mr. Kurt V. Zeissig, a CBA comrade. Zeissig's reasoning included the ability to put on and take off the suit's arms and legs, eyes that could open and shut, a filter at the mouth position, an antenna-like crown, and body patterns that allowed the suit to swell and shrink.

In October 1962, the Soviet magazine "Ogonek" published a treatise by science-fiction writer Alexander Kazantsev, who claimed that extraterrestrials had visited Earth a million years prior. Kazantsev's article, which included photos of Shakoki Dogu and two other Japanese archaeological specimens, was influenced by information from the CBA and Mr. Zeissig. This article significantly boosted the Dogu's international fame.

Supporting Evidence and Counterarguments

The original CBA article cited a report from American NASA as supporting evidence, noting objects appearing as ball bearings on the Dogu's arms and legs. Mr. Zeissig had reportedly informed NASA about the Shakoki Dogu and received a favorable reply.

In January 1963, CBA further argued that the fact that some Shakoki Dogu are hollow indicates they represent suits.

Archaeological Context and Specimens

The article presents drawings of three representative Shakoki Dogu specimens from archaeological literature:

• Figure A: Found at Kame-ga-oka, Kizukuri Town, Aomori Prefecture. Height: 34.8 cm. Traces of vermilion coloring. Hollow.
• Figure B: Found at Futago, Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture. About one-fourth the size of the real thing. Likely hollow.
• Figure C: Found at Hodo-no-mori, Ikarigaseki Village, Aomori Prefecture. Height: about 29 cm. Likely hollow.

Archaeological literature indicates that Shakoki Dogu were made in the latter part of the Jomon period (about 12,000 to 2,300 years ago). The makers were primarily in the northern part of Honshu, Japan's main island.

While the eyes of the Dogu are often likened to snow goggles of Inuit and Siberian aborigines (hence the name "Shakoki," meaning "snow goggles"), current leading archaeologists do not regard them as such. The exact use of these dolls remains unknown; one instance describes a Dogu found laid down and covered with earthenware, suggesting disposal rather than use.

Modern Reassessment and Alternative Theories

After the decline of CBA in the 1970s, the Shakoki Dogu theory saw a resurgence with Mr. Osamu Sato, president of Sky People Association (SPA). In January 1994, an SPA publication revived the space suit theory, becoming a new starting point for the subject. Sato suggested that Shakoki Dogu reflected closer relations between ancient people and space people compared to earlier Dogu types like Yamagata or Mimizuku Dogu.

Mr. Isao Washio (writing under a pen name for "UFO Criticism by J.N.") also contributed to the discussion, pointing out several counterarguments:

1. The eyes might be closed eyelids, and Japan's geographical proximity to Inuit cultures suggests snow goggles could be religious items rather than practical ones.
2. Zeissig's theory of eyes as shutters is considered primitive. Kazantsev's idea of eye slits for visitors from a gloomy world is questioned, as slits are for human eyes adapted to sunlight.
3. If ancient people were familiar with space people, why did they create dolls of suits rather than the beings themselves?
4. Shakoki Dogu lack "oxygen cylinders." Filters might have been for breathing, and the head object could be a breathing device, not an antenna.
5. While some Dogu have human-like faces, this could be personification. The trend towards more human-like Dogu followed the Shakoki Dogu age.

Further Interpretations and Speculations

Ms. Toshiko Matsumoto reconstructed a Jomon period costume based on a Shakoki Dogu, interpreting the head object as dressed hair with flowers. However, if Dogu represent holy beings, their costumes would be divine.

An animal-shaped clay art from an earlier age has patterns similar to those on Shakoki Dogu, suggesting the Dogu might not wear costumes. Holes in the abdomen and crotch of some Dogu are noted. The patterns on the body could be tattoos of a female shaman disguised as a goddess.

The article notes that while Dogu are usually depicted standing, their feet might not support them, suggesting they could have been hung, implying "flying."

CBA asserted that space suits were made by ancient Earth people guided by space people, and that these ancient people left Earth on June 30, 1908, the date of the Tunguska explosion.

The author questions whether the Dogu suits were for alien or human beings, given the lack of "oxygen cylinders" and the presence of filters.

Other UFO Sightings and Phenomena

The issue also briefly mentions other UFO-related reports:

• A sighting of a "huge star" in Yamato-koriyama City, Nara Prefecture, on December 23, 2003, which appeared as a semitransparent circle.
• A visit by physicist Dr. Yoshihiko Ohtsuki to "UFO Public Hall" in lino Town, Fukushima Prefecture, concerning a video of strange lights from August 6, 1995, later identified as reflections on factory windows.
• A report on Mr. Shuichi Sasaki's discovery of how to make an object float using a permanent magnet, inspired by a childhood sighting of a strange light.
• The author's personal encounter with a mysterious aerial phenomenon on April 4, 2004, in Ueno Park, Tokyo, described as a bright object with an irregular shape and a sweeping light.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of archaeology, ancient history, and UFOlogy, particularly focusing on theories that suggest extraterrestrial influence on ancient civilizations. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, presenting various theories and evidence while also offering counterarguments and alternative explanations, particularly from an archaeological perspective. The author, Isao Washio, seems to engage with the subject matter thoughtfully, questioning unsubstantiated claims and seeking logical explanations.