Ryuho Okawa
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Ryuho Okawa (大川 隆法 Ōkawa Ryūhō, born July 7, 1956 in Tokushima Prefecture) is the CEO and founder of the Happy Science religious organization and the Happiness Realization Party in Japan.[1][dead link]
After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he joined a Tokyo-based trading house. While working at its New York headquarters on the 40th floor of the 1 World Trade Center from 1982-1983, he studied finance at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Just as he got promoted, he resigned his business career and started Happy Science on October 6, 1986.
Since the founding of Happy Science, Okawa has reportedly published over 500 books,[2] with 7 films based on his teachings like: The Laws of the Sun, The Laws of Eternity, and The Golden Laws.[1] These three books contain the core teachings of Happy Science.
In a related article (Tuesday, August 4, 2009), The Japan Times quotes Okawa's political organization, which claims that he is a reincarnation of Buddha who achieved enlightenment in March 1981 "and awakened to the hidden part of his consciousness, El Cantare, whose mission is to bring happiness to all humanity".
He is married to Kyoko Okawa, former leader of the Happiness Realization Party and "the reborn Aphrodite and the bodhisattva of wisdom and intellect".[2]
Okawa was the target of a failed assassination attempt by Aum Shinrikyo in January 1995 using VX agent.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Ryuho Profile Retrieved on 5 August 2009. (Japanese)
- ^ a b "Party offers a third way: happiness". The Japan Times. 4 August 2009. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090804zg.html. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
- ^ Danzig, Richard, Marc Sageman, Terrance Leighton, Lloyd Hough, Hidemi Yuki, Rui Kotani and Zachary M. Hosford, "Aum Shinrikyo: Insights Into How Terrorists Develop Biological and Chemical Weapons", Center for a New American Security, July 2011.
[edit] External links
- Happy Science official website (English)
- Happiness Realization Party official website (English)
- Happy Science North America (English)
