May,23,2019

Master Ryuho Okawa, Founder and CEO of the Happiness Realization Party (HRP), held a talk titled Your Democracy Might Be Wrong with HRP Leader Ryoko Shaku in Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the Founding of HRP and the First Year of Reiwa, on Wednesday 22 May at Bellesalle Takada-no-Baba, Tokyo

23 May 2019

The summary of the talk is as follows:

After the lecture event last week, “The World of Freedom, Democracy, and Faith,” a journalist wrote to Master Ryuho Okawa asking, “How can we solve the problem of poverty in the world?” Okawa started off the talk by humoring the audience. “It will be bullying if I asked Prime Minister Abe to answer this. Happy Science answers questions like these that no one can answer.” He then said that right now in the world, sometimes the economic gap between a nation and another is 100 to 1, and that if Japan wants to keep its status as a developed nation, it must teach people who come from other nations how to create a nation. Furthermore, he said, “There’s a poor country that is unable to feed approximately one billion of its people. We need to teach Japanese folklores to the people of such a country. We need to teach the law of cause and effect, to teach them to do good and punish evil. Good things will happen to the people who believe in God and Buddha and make efforts, and people who steal and snatch will perish. Factories can be built, but unless people stop stealing machines and products from the factories, they can’t build an industrial nation and start the cycle of economic growth.”

Another topic was about the recent argument on a comment made by Japanese Diet member Mr. Hodaka Maruyama asking the people of Kunashiri Island if they want to win back the Northern Territories even if meant going to war. On this, Okawa said, “There was nothing wrong with his comment. He just tried to clarify how strongly the people wished to have the island back. It would’ve been a problem if the prime minister, foreign minister, or defense minister made that comment, but it’s fine to have a Diet member ask such a question.” Master then delved into a more fundamental argument and said that, regarding Russia, it’s better to move forward by giving up certain things. “There are different interpretations between Japan and Russia on when the end of the war is. Honestly speaking, Emperor Hirohito should’ve made an imperial decision after the great Tokyo air raid in March 1945. He is responsible for this.” Okawa warned that a nation might not be able to make the right decisions on which direction to head in if military affair is neglected. “It would be dangerous if military and war become taboo topics.”

HRP Leader Shaku commented on the recent events: “While the government is pushing for free early childhood and university education, I’m worried that the Japanese people’s way of life and way of thinking are changing for the worse.” When Okawa asked, “The current administration claims that it will make early childhood education – including non-approved facilities – and higher education free of charge by increasing the consumption tax to 10%, but the legitimate reason for that increase was to reduce the government deficit of 1,100 trillion yen, wasn’t it?” Shaku pointed out that the deficit kept increasing after the two tax increases in the past. Taking this into account, Master Okawa clarified the difficult problem lurking in democracy and financial deficit. “This is a typical example of why I say, ‘Your Democracy Might Be Wrong.’ Democracy can call for money dole-out. It’s bribery, which is an election offense if you dole out in small amounts, but not bribery if you do it in large amounts. Nonetheless, God and Buddha don’t forgive such slyness. Members of the House of Representatives in Japan end their terms in two years, but that’s very similar to part-time work. So, the system of continuous employment was developed by the 1955 system, as was the system of dole-out.” Shaku then introduced the voices from the people, saying that while parents want to put their children in early childhood education facilities, some facilities have begun driving out children at the same time. Some children are being kicked out because they have poor behavior. She said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

At the end of the talk, Okawa gave a simple example that the audience enjoyed: “I think there’s something wrong in democracy. Xiang Xiang, a popular panda, may win if she and Socrates ran against each other in an election. The effort to elect wise people in the truest sense is not being made.” Shaku then stated the direction of HRP. “We would like to aim for a democracy through which virtuous politicians are elected, based on the premises that every human being is a child of God and Buddha.”

In the Q & A session, a reporter asked, “How likely is a Lower House dissolution (simultaneously with the House of Councillors election in July), and what would be its legitimate reason?” Master Okawa resolutely stated, “There is no legitimate reason for dissolution for the time being. If they say the reason is to increase the consumption tax, I’d like to ask, ‘How many times are you willing to hold an election for that?’ Also, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito are trying to cover up the remark on the Four Northern Islands by Diet member Hodaka Maruyama, so it means they don’t want to touch on the war issue, which in turn means constitutional revision will not be a just reason for dissolution.” Further, he said that Prime Minister Abe should stop playing golf if he is to enforce heavier tax on people. Okawa continued, “The Cabinet Office, which is the cause of the current dual administration, should be abolished. Ministries, such as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology should be abolished one by one if the consumption tax is to be increased,” to which the audience applauded. He also appealed the role of press strongly, claiming that financial related stock prices have not gone up since 2007. Despite the low interest rate, people don’t borrow money because they fear banks’ forcible withdrawal. It will be dangerous if regional banks go bankrupt. Considering the current situation, the Diet should not be dissolved. LDP receives more than one hundred billion yen as political party subsidy, advertises on news and television for free, and dissolves the Diet using tax money collected from the people, whenever they wish. To this, Okawa commented, “Your democracy might be wrong. If they really need to call for a dissolution, the mass media should slam them by asking, ‘Why do you need to call for a dissolution?’ ‘Why do you think that you can win the election?’ ‘Do you really believe you haven’t made mistakes?’”

Another reporter in the audience asked, “How many points would you give to the democracy of Japan?” Master Okawa responded, “Assuming the passing score at a university to be 60, right now I would give it 55. I cannot give a passing score.” He then presented the checkpoints of the Abe administration. “The strongest point of Prime Minister Abe is that he is good at pork barrel. He makes different promises to different people without a second thought. Fascists make contradictory promises to different people. Democracy will turn into fascism if the supporting rate goes up dramatically. Please observe carefully whether or not the ruler is making contradictory promises.” Lastly, Okawa rebuked the problem of supporters of the current Japanese Constitution. “According to China’s plan, Japan will be off the world map by 2050. There will be no Imperial Household if their plan is realized. Are the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the National Democratic Party, and the Japanese Communist Party aware of this? To them, I’d like to say, ‘Do you think it’s fine as long as you just protect the Constitution? Huh? Answer me!’” Party Leader Shaku then declared her determination to the audience, “I would like every one of you to make your own decision. Please let me perform responsible duties as a statesperson.”

【Contact】

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