Shumon aratame-yaku (an officer in charge of the persecution of Christians) (宗門改役)
Shumon aratame-yaku is one of law enforcement posts set up in the Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) and in all the domains. Shumon aratame-yaku took charge of cracking down on Christians--Christianity was banned--and supervised policing.
It is said that the post was firstly set up when Masashige INOUE, ometsuke (chief inspector of the Edo shogunate), was appointed as shumon aratame-yaku in 1640, and the post was also assumed by sakuji bugyo (commissioners of building) from 1662. In 1664, the Edo bakufu ordered all the domains to establish shumon aratame-yaku in their domains.
In the bakufu, the post of shumon aratame-yaku was assumed jointly by one ometsuke and one sakuji bugyo, but this was abolished in 1792.