Ryuho Okawa
Ryuho Okawa | |
|---|---|
Okawa in 2015 | |
| President of the Happiness Realization Party | |
| In office July 22, 2009 – September 12, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| In office December 27, 2012 – March 2, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| President of Happy Science | |
| In office November 19, 1996 – March 2, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Chairman of Happy Science | |
| In office October 6, 1986 – November 19, 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Takashi Nakagawa (中川 隆) 7 July 1956 Kawashima, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | 2 March 2023 (aged 66) Tokyo, Japan |
| Citizenship | Japanese |
| Spouses | Kyoko Kimura (木村 恭子, Kimura Kyōko)
(m. 1988; div. 2012)Shio Kondo (近藤 紫央, Kondō Shio)
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 5, including Hiroshi Okawa (大川 宏洋, Ōkawa Hiroshi) |
| Relatives | Shizuko Nakagawa (中川 静子, Nakagawa Shizuko) |
| Alma mater | Tokyo University, City University of New York |
| Occupation | Religious leader Political activist |
| Website | https://ryuho-okawa.org/ |
Ryuho Okawa (大川 隆法; Ōkawa Ryūhō; born Takashi Nakagawa (中川 隆; Nakagawa Takashi), 7 July 1956 – 2 March 2023) was a Japanese religious and political leader who was the CEO and founder of the Happy Science and the Happiness Realization Party. He was also an author and chairman of two companies affiliated with the organization, New Star Production and ARI Production.
His organization has been widely criticised as a cult. Adherents of the religion worship Okawa, who claimed to be the current incarnation of a god called “El Cantare” and a number of other beings, including Hermes and Gautama Buddha.