Happiness Realization Party
Encyclopedia
, abbreviated as 幸福, is a Japanese political party founded by Ryuho Okawa
on 23 May 2009 "in order to offer the Japanese people a third option" for the upcoming elections in August 2009. The HRP is the political wing of the Happy Science religious movement.
Okawa is the current president of the party. One of the stated reasons for establishing The Happiness Realization Party was that neither of the two major parties, the Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP) or the opposing Democratic Party of Japan
(DPJ), has defined a clear plan to deal with the threats of North Korea
from their missile testing or how to lift the country out of an economic recession. Tax reduction is one of the party's stated goals.
s such as Yoshiro Nakamatsu
joined the HRP. However, the party did not win any seats in the election.
In May 2010, Yasuhiro Oe
changed political alliegence to the HRP, giving it the party's first voting member in Japanese national politics.
to be able to guarantee the safety and protection of its people against the military threat of North Korea, to encourage a nuclear-free world grounded in a spirit of religious tolerance, and introduce a religion education, as they state, that is based on a universal spirit of love, compassion, spirit of self-help and be able to make the distinction between good and evil.
, "for many, the Happies smell suspiciously like a cult". The party has released promotional videos that claim North Korea and the People's Republic of China
are plotting to invade and colonize Japan after first subduing it through nuclear warfare.
Ryuho Okawa
is the CEO and founder of the Happy Science religious organization and the Happiness Realization Party in Japan.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...
on 23 May 2009 "in order to offer the Japanese people a third option" for the upcoming elections in August 2009. The HRP is the political wing of the Happy Science religious movement.
Okawa is the current president of the party. One of the stated reasons for establishing The Happiness Realization Party was that neither of the two major parties, the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
(LDP) or the opposing Democratic Party of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan
The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...
(DPJ), has defined a clear plan to deal with the threats of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
from their missile testing or how to lift the country out of an economic recession. Tax reduction is one of the party's stated goals.
Japanese general election, 2009
The party had 345 candidates, placing it on the ballots of 99% of Japan's 300 constituencies. Many perennial candidatePerennial candidate
A perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope...
s such as Yoshiro Nakamatsu
Yoshiro Nakamatsu
, also known as , is an eccentric Japanese inventor who has become something of a minor celebrity for his amusing inventions. He regularly appears on Japanese talk shows which, in conjunction with his appearance, usually craft a humorous segment based on one or more of his inventions.He is a...
joined the HRP. However, the party did not win any seats in the election.
In May 2010, Yasuhiro Oe
Yasuhiro Oe
is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Tanabe, Wakayama, he graduated from Ashiya University and Western Australia Institute of Technology. Since 1979 he had served in the assembly of Wakayama Prefecture for six terms...
changed political alliegence to the HRP, giving it the party's first voting member in Japanese national politics.
Manifesto
According to the HRP's manifesto their plan is to more than double Japan's population to 300 million through making child-rearing easier for mothers. Other aims include actively accepting foreigners, taking more responsibility as a world leader, amending the pacifist Article 9 of the Japanese ConstitutionArticle 9 of the Japanese Constitution
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a clause in the National Constitution of Japan that prohibits an act of war by the state. The Constitution came into effect on May 3, 1947, immediately following World War II. In its text, the state formally renounces war as a sovereign right and bans...
to be able to guarantee the safety and protection of its people against the military threat of North Korea, to encourage a nuclear-free world grounded in a spirit of religious tolerance, and introduce a religion education, as they state, that is based on a universal spirit of love, compassion, spirit of self-help and be able to make the distinction between good and evil.
Criticism
According to The Japan TimesThe Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
, "for many, the Happies smell suspiciously like a cult". The party has released promotional videos that claim North Korea and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
are plotting to invade and colonize Japan after first subduing it through nuclear warfare.