大本教の分裂：浅野和三郎と軍人の入信A Schism That Transformed Japan's Modern Religious History

The previous article explored Oomoto-kyo, a religious movement that significantly influenced Japan’s modern religious history. Its profound impact stems from the fusion of founder Nao Deguchi’s spiritual revelations and prophecies, and the charismatic religious leadership of co-founder Onisaburo Deguchi, a legacy that continues to resonate even today. However, the rapid growth and increasing influence of Oomoto-kyo triggered alarm not among rival religious organizations, but within the government, which aimed to consolidate the nation under State Shinto and promote emperor worship as a unified national ideology.

The government conducted its first suppression of Oomoto-kyo on February 12, 1921, during the Taisho era, and a second crackdown on December 8, 1935, during the increasingly tense atmosphere preceding World War II in the early Showa period. As discussed previously, the critical difference between the first and second suppressions lies primarily in the military’s ascent to power within the government. By the time of the second suppression, when military authority had become overwhelmingly dominant, Oomoto-kyo faced extreme repression, including the dynamiting of all its facilities and the banning of its publications, which effectively extinguished its ability to survive into the next era.

This collapse was inevitable, as after the first crackdown, most senior members had already abandoned the organization. Here, we revisit why the government and military perceived Oomoto-kyo as such a significant threat. This question reveals more than a simple conflict surrounding a single religious movement; it sheds light on the critical situation facing prewar Japan. Behind the crackdown lay Oomoto-kyo’s growing appeal among military personnel—a turning point not initiated directly by Onisaburo Deguchi himself but through another figure: Wasaburo Asano.

Wasaburo Asano (1874–1937) was a renowned intellectual and English literature scholar who served as an English instructor at the Imperial Japanese Naval Engineering Academy (海軍機関学校). He encountered Oomoto-kyo in 1916 through an introduction by a former naval engineering lieutenant commander colleague, discovering the movement led by founder Nao Deguchi and spiritual leader Onisaburo Deguchi, and became deeply fascinated by its mystical teachings. Asano soon converted, profoundly moved by Nao Deguchi’s prophetic revelations and the charismatic guidance of Onisaburo Deguchi. After joining, he relocated to Oomoto’s headquarters in Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture, dedicating himself entirely to religious activities.

Asano’s membership significantly altered Oomoto-kyo’s character. Initially, intellectual figures like Asano were rare in Oomoto-kyo, which originated in rural Tango villages; thus, his intellectual talents became essential to the movement’s development. Consequently, Onisaburo Deguchi warmly welcomed Asano, valuing his high intellect and literary skill. Asano quickly rose within the organization, appointed by Onisaburo Deguchi as chairman of the Dai-Nippon Shusaikai (大日本修斎会), the official propagation body of Oomoto-kyo. Wasaburo Asano became a vital theoretical pillar of the movement, playing a crucial role in intellectually supporting Onisaburo Deguchi’s advocated idea of the Taisho Restoration (大正維新).

Asano’s influence soon extended to his family, gradually transforming the foundation of Oomoto-kyo. His elder brother, Masayasu Asano, initially a naval rear admiral and later vice admiral, was initially strongly opposed to Wasaburo’s religious involvement. However, by late 1916, Masayasu himself converted, resigning his active naval position and moving to Oomoto-kyo’s headquarters in Ayabe. This significant family shift resulted in Wasaburo Asano serving as chairman of the Dai-Nippon Shusaikai and his elder brother, Masayasu, becoming an advisor, placing the Asano brothers at the core of Oomoto-kyo’s administration.

This decisive move by the highly promising naval officer, Masayasu Asano, drew attention to Oomoto-kyo among military circles. Indeed, Wasaburo Asano’s entry and active involvement became the catalyst driving Oomoto-kyo’s rapid expansion. Together with Onisaburo Deguchi, Asano promoted the realization of shinsei (神政), divine governance, through the Taisho Restoration, advocating for Japan’s regeneration based on Nao Deguchi’s prophecies. Asano’s lucid theoretical explanations strongly resonated with intellectuals and social elites, gradually attracting a new wave of followers.

In fact, from around World War I through the Taisho era, under the guidance of Asano and others advocating the idea of the “Taisho Restoration,” Oomoto-kyo attracted an increasing number of adherents—not just intellectuals such as university professors and bureaucrats but also members of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy. Oomoto-kyo dramatically expanded in scale due to the entry of Asano, transforming into a nationwide religious movement, and the membership of Asano’s brother, a high-ranking naval officer, further boosted the religion’s credibility, paving the way for a steady influx of military personnel.

Asano energetically promoted enlightenment within the group through magazines and books. He published his own works in 1919 and 1920, systematically explaining Oomoto-kyo’s doctrines and his theories of national reform. Asano’s intellectual contributions further systematized the teachings of Oomoto-kyo, increasing its appeal among intellectual circles and significantly enhancing its social credibility.

As previously mentioned, the conversion of the high-ranking naval officer Masayasu Asano to this new religion initially shocked the military establishment, but his membership subsequently spurred curiosity among other military personnel, reasoning that “if Asano endorses this religion, it merits consideration.” Thus, through personal connections and social networks, Oomoto-kyo expanded its propagation efforts into military circles, particularly the Navy. Among its followers was the famous Vice Admiral Saneyuki Akiyama, a celebrated hero of the Russo-Japanese War, who became a devotee through his relationship with Asano and personal spiritual experiences.

The series of conversions by military officers turned Oomoto-kyo into a religion prominently recognized as having supporters within the military—a unique situation among new religious movements recognized in the Meiji period, clearly indicating the distinct nature of Oomoto-kyo’s influence. The presence of the charismatic religious leader Onisaburo Deguchi, combined with the intellectual support of Wasaburo Asano, alongside a network of followers at the military’s core, significantly raised the prestige of Oomoto-kyo. However, the unprecedented blend of sophisticated religious theories and influence within the military hierarchy increasingly alarmed the government.

Fundamentally, Oomoto-kyo propagated interpretations differing from those of imperial mythology espoused by State Shinto (国家神道), and its rise was marked by unique eschatological prophecies, such as those given by the deity Ushitora-no-Konjin (艮の金神), who possessed Nao Deguchi. This led the government to deem its activities dangerous and contrary to national ideology. The Taisho era was particularly significant here, as this period witnessed the rise and suppression of Japanese interpretations of anarchism, reflecting widespread resistance against the existing order. Oomoto-kyo operated within this context, explicitly adopting doctrinal positions opposed to State Shinto and emperor worship.

This led to secret police investigations into Oomoto-kyo from around 1919, ultimately culminating in the decision to conduct the first crackdown in early 1921. After this incident, Onisaburo Deguchi altered course towards conformity with State Shinto, causing key executive Wasaburo Asano to break away from the organization. The precise reasons behind Oomoto-kyo’s shift remain unclear, but given the prolonged appeals and legal proceedings, the possibility of an unofficial arrangement between the government and Onisaburo Deguchi in exchange for acquittal cannot be dismissed.

Indeed, approximately 80 arrested senior Oomoto-kyo members ultimately received amnesty following Emperor Taisho’s passing, having their convictions dismissed in 1927. Onisaburo Deguchi used this acquittal to reconstruct the group, appointing close family members like sons-in-law Hidemaru Deguchi and Uchimaru Deguchi to senior positions, thereby distancing figures close to Asano from central leadership. It is plausible that a covert agreement was made to marginalize influential supporters of Asano during this shift towards state accommodation.

However, Onisaburo Deguchi’s obsession with maintaining the religion ultimately triggered a hollowing-out of the movement due to the departure of influential executives. After all, many senior members deeply respected Wasaburo Asano. Thus, promising religious leaders who joined due to Asano’s influence began to leave Oomoto-kyo, and Asano himself embarked upon independent spiritual research. This fragmentation of Oomoto-kyo actually created a lineage of profound influence, extending through prewar, wartime, and postwar Japanese society, continuing even to this day.

In a sense, this history could be described as an “invisible modern history of Japan,” and by examining it closely, the distorted realities of Japan’s state structure and society come clearly into view.