'Goddess' Released
Yoshiko Nagaoka Said Suffering From Delusion
KANAZAWA, Jan. 23 - The self-styled Deity, Yoshiko
Nagaoka whom her fanatic devotees worshipped as "Jiko-san" or "Sun Goddess"
was diagnosed today as "mentally unbalanced" by Dr. Hato-o Akimoto, professor
of psychiatry at Kanazawa Medical University.
Dr. Akimoto said that although she looks like an
ordinary woman, she is seized with the morbid religious delusion, suffering
from a case of "dementia paranoia."
After being arrested by the Tamagawa police together
with Futabayama, noted ex-sumo champion, the "sun goddess" underwent a
two day questioning. Found mentally unbalanced, however, the "Jiko-son"
was freed from prison late this afternoon.
The police flatly denied the widespread rumor among
followers that the "Jiko-son" is a daughter of Lord Ikeda, descendant of
the Prince Kuni household.
She was the former wife of Sadao Nagaoka, 51, ex-business
manager of the shipping department of the NYK and at present on the staff
of the Shipping Operation Association in Kobe.
After a divorce in 1945, she began devoting herself
to worship of "Kobo-Daishi". Though she established the "Yonaoshi-kai"
(World Purification Society) in October, 1945, it was ordered dissolved
on charge of lese-majeste. In January, 1946, she founded a new religion
called "Jiu-kyo" at Sekine-cho, Suginami-ku, Tokyo.