Happiness Realization Party
Introduction Akasaka, Minato Ward, TokyoThe , abbreviated as '''Kōfuku''' (), is a Japanese political party founded by Ryuho Okawa on 23 May 2009.The HRP is the political wing of the conservative Happy Science religious movement.Okawa was the president of the party until his death on 2 March 2023.
Electoral history In 2009, the party had 345 candidates, placing it on the ballots of 99% of Japan's 300 constituencies. Many perennial candidates such as Yoshiro Nakamatsu joined the HRP. Despite fielding a total of more than 1 million votes, the party did not win any seats in the election.In 2012, the party again failed to gain any seats.As of April 2018, the party had 21 elected local councilors.
Policies According to its manifesto, the group's goal is to more than double Japan's population to 300 million through making child-rearing easier for mothers and accepting foreigners as workforce. It also aims to change the pacifist Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution in order to increase Japan's economic and military power.The group identifies itself as "conservative" and is generally considered a right-wing, or a radical right party. The party advocates a nuclear deterrent for Japan, denies that the Nanjing Massacre occurred and has called for China to be expelled from the United Nations Security Council. The party has formed links to the American right, having attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2012, and bringing with them members of the Tokyo Tea Party, supporting low tax.In 2022, the party has expressed sympathy for Russia's position following the Invasion of Ukraine, criticizing the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Administration Happiness Realization Party car sticker. Kyoto. 2010Jay Aeba, also known as Jikido Aeba (饗庭直道, あえば直道, Aeba Jikido), was, of May 2012, advisor of the Republican National Committee of the United States in charge of Asia, with Yuki Oikawa as one of the  officials of HRP.
President  No. Image  Name  Took office  Left office 1  100px  Ryuho Okawa  22 July 2009  12 September 2009 -  -  ''(Vacant)''  ''12 September 2009''  ''27 December 2012'' 2  100px  Ryuho Okawa  27 December 2012  2 March 2023
Leaders  No. Image  Name  Took office  Left office 1  100px  Jikidō Aeba  23 May 2009  4 June 2009 2  100px  Kyōko Ōkawa  4 June 2009  29 July 2009 -  -  ''(Vacant)''  ''29 July 2009''  ''2 September 2009'' 3  100px  Zuishō Motochikawa  2 September 2009  12 September 2009 4  100px  Tomoshige Kimura  12 September 2009  15 April 2010 5  100px  Sōken Kobayashi  15 April 2010  21 April 2010 6  100px  Etsuo Ishikawa  21 April 2010  20 July 2010 7  100px  Shugaku Tsuiki  20 July 2010  27 December 2012 8  100px  Hissho Yanai  27 December 2012  24 July 2013 9  100px  Ryōko Shaku  24 July 2013  Incumbent
Criticism According to ''The Japan Times'', "for many, the Happies smell suspiciously like a cult". The party has released promotional videos that claim North Korea and China are plotting to invade and colonize Japan after first subduing it through nuclear warfare.The party has been accused of expressing anti-Korean sentiment, although they deny this. However, they deny that Koreans were forced to labor in World War II, and deny that comfort women (many of whom were Korean) were forced to perform their work. To this end, Okawa once said that:
References
External links * * * Various Manifesto of the Party