by Naofumi Katsuragawa (this article was written before his arrest in 2003)
Pot is the Only Way
Taima (Japanese for cannabis) is Marijuana, which is hemp, also known as Asa, grown and cultivated for tens of thousands of years in our Japanese culture.
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by Shigeru Aso
When the Japanese equivelent of DEA raided Mr. Katsuragawa’s home, about 20 officers participated in this operation. His first thoughts were that perhaps some Yakuza’s have decided to raid his house. The police were vindictive and angry. They were using vulgar language and accused him of breaking the law.
by Sigeru Aso
From the year 1998 through the year 2000, Mr. Katsuragawa had actually maneuvered his way into obtaining the Japanese marijuana license. This was nearly unprecedented, it was almost impossible for openly active pot-smokers to obtain such licensing at the time. Mr. Katsuragawa had went to the appropriate department which issues licenses for growing cannabis, and was tenacious at doing so. He explained the positive properties of marijuana, presented documents and made his case. Ultimately, he was issued a license to grow hemp for seeds and pulp collection purposes. His marijuana license stated that he was going to make paper, even though he was openly suggesting for many Japanese people to smoke pot.
by Sigeru Aso
On July 14, 2003, Mr. Naofumi Katsuragawa was arrested in Nagano by the Japanses DEA for cultivating over 100 plants of cannabis with intent to sell, half a gram of methamphetamine, ecstacy and some magic mushrooms. He is very well known in the underground Japanese pot world, dubbed as ‘Che Guevarra’ of Japanese cannabis. He served 5 years in prison in Japan, for he was a second time pot offender, and due to ‘sales charges’. The truth is, Mr. Katsuragawa never collected any money for marijuana, with the occasional exception of people handing over donations for his overhead eventhough he tried to refuse to accept it. He was simply providing cannabis to his close friends and several patients with serious illness’. One of his patients happenned to be a famous writer, with glaucoma, and he was busted first for receieving cannabis from Mr. Katsuragawa. This writer died not too long ago. Mr. Katsuragawa simply followed him to jail, due to the tenacious and cruel Japanese DEA interrogations. Read more