Clarifying the Falsehoods of Hiroshi and Gento-sha Inc. - The Happy Science Group's View on 'The Man Who Wanted to Be God: Recollections of My Father, Ryuho Okawa' by Hiroshi (Published by Gento-sha)

Introduction: The Infringement on 'Freedom of Religion' by Hiroshi and Gento-sha and the Circumstances Leading to Publication

On September 28, 2023, Hiroshi published over 300 falsehoods and defamatory statements in his book 'The Man Who Wanted to Be God: Recollections of My Father, Ryuho Okawa' regarding President Ryuho Okawa, his teachings, family, and the actual management of the religious organization.

On August 31, 2023, prior to publication, a letter of request was sent to Gento-sha in the name of the organization's lawyer, stating that President Ryuho Okawa is the founder and 'object of worship' of the Happy Science organization, and that his social evaluation greatly influences the social evaluation of Happy Science, as recognized by the court. It was also noted that Hiroshi has been repeatedly found in court to have made numerous false statements, resulting in a total of 6.71 million yen in damages for defamation in a lawsuit filed by Happy Science.

Furthermore, it was pointed out that when publishing Hiroshi's book, appropriate investigative reporting and content verification should be necessary, and that if Gento-sha publishes a book containing defamatory statements against President Okawa and Happy Science based on Hiroshi's one-sided false facts without sufficient investigative reporting, the company could be held legally responsible alongside the author, Hiroshi. It was also noted that the dissemination of such false information could hurt the hearts of many believers.

Subsequently, Gento-sha began promoting the book using a cover illustration of President Okawa, prompting our organization to file a provisional injunction to stop the publication. However, Gento-sha deliberately delayed the release and changed the cover to force the publication without altering the content.

Ignoring such requests, Gento-sha's publication of Hiroshi's book is an act contrary to the ethics of a publisher. Here, we address the main defamatory statements and correct these errors from the perspective of religious truth.

The falsehood that he grew up as a 'narcissistic and arrogant' person

The book describes President Okawa as a 'sensitive', 'servile', and 'sullen young man', suggesting that he grew up as a 'narcissistic and arrogant' person, which is completely untrue. While it is true that President Okawa experienced the struggles of youth, these setbacks were completely sublimated through deep self-reflection during his youth. As revealed in books such as 'Ryuho Okawa's Early Important Lectures: Best Selection ②' and the autobiographical novel series 'Ryuuji Kagamigawa Series', President Okawa elevated his spirit like steel tempered through fire and water during his experiences of failure. These experiences have been crystallized into teachings such as 'Starting from the Ordinary' and 'Always Winning Thinking' (a methodology for learning lessons from both success and failure and growing into a person who can guide others). The mental conflicts experienced at the time were merely a springboard for creating Happy Science, a religion with 'emotion' that reaches people's hearts.

The suspicion regarding the autobiographical part of the old edition of 'The Laws of the Sun'

Hiroshi claims that the autobiographical part of the old edition of 'The Laws of the Sun' has been extensively rewritten to 'hide facts such as failures'. However, the old edition was written during the preparation period immediately after leaving the company, before the establishment of the religion when there were no members, and the episodes about himself were told with considerable humility.

The revision of the new edition is merely as stated in the preface, 'Since journalists and religious scholars in this country seem unable to understand the virtue of humility, I have written frankly without embellishment.' Furthermore, the events of youth are detailed in books such as 'Youth Management', 'Recommendation for Intellectual Youth', the internal scripture 'The Young Days of El Cantare', and the 'Ryuuji Kagamigawa Series' including 'The Novel Bamboo Shoot Era', 'The Novel Young Bamboo Era', 'The Novel Eternal Kyoto', 'The Novel The Path to the Inner Self', 'The Novel The Distant Stranger', and 'The Novel I Have to Get Back at Them'.

Hiroshi, without properly reading such new books, fails to understand President Okawa's virtue of humility, ignores the preface of the new edition, and deliberately tries to demean President Okawa with expressions like 'he had no friends' and 'his university life was miserable'.

The falsehood that he had a 'shy and gloomy personality' and 'disliked people'

Hiroshi claims that President Okawa had a 'shy and gloomy personality' and 'disliked people' during his childhood and youth, but this is completely untrue. As noted in the book 'Dreams Come True' and the 'Ryuuji Kagamigawa Series' depicting his youth, President Okawa served as student council president and was captain of the tennis club during his junior high school years. As noted in the book 'Aiming to Be a Great Eagle Soaring into the World', during his time at Tokushima Jonan High School, he was active in the kendo club and played the lead role in 'Cinderella' in drag at the cultural festival in his first year, and played the lead role of the super wild man in Junji Kinoshita's play 'Onnyoro' in his second year, which reportedly led many female members of the drama club to start 'chasing' him. In this way, President Okawa maintained excellent grades from his youth and had a bright and cheerful personality. It is true that he was a person of virtue who delighted people and was trusted by many. Furthermore, the book claims that President Okawa grew up with an inferiority complex towards his older brother, but this is not true.

The claim that 'the inferiority complex towards his brother grew even more during his ronin period' is impossible

Hiroshi claims in the book that 'the inferiority complex towards his brother grew even more during his ronin period', but here Hiroshi reveals that he actually knows nothing about President Okawa's sibling relationship. President Okawa's brother was attending the philosophy department at Kyoto University at the time, intending to live like a high-class idler as described by Natsume Soseki, and ended up being a university student until nearly 30 years old. It is impossible for an inferiority complex to grow towards such a brother.

The falsehood that he tried to remain as an assistant at the University of Tokyo but had poor grades

Regarding his time as a student at the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law, Hiroshi claims that 'he tried to remain as an assistant but had poor grades' and 'failed to get a job at a top-tier company', but this is completely untrue. President Okawa gave up on becoming an assistant because he knew a friend genuinely wanted to become an 'assistant' under the same professor, so he decided to step back. Furthermore, his university grades were far above average, with over 20 'excellent' grades compared to the average of two and a half for students at the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law at the time (as noted in the 'Ryuuji Kagamigawa Series' 'The Novel The Path to the Inner Self' and the internal scripture 'The Novel The Path to the Inner Self: Extra Stories'). He also passed the short-answer section of the bar exam, which only about one-eighth of applicants passed, with a 90% correct rate in one attempt (as noted in the April 6, 2022, dialogue with President Ryuho Okawa and the 'Ryuuji Kagamigawa Series' 'The Novel The Distant Stranger'). Additionally, regarding employment, he was pleaded with by a personnel officer of a general trading company, saying, 'We will welcome you with the utmost courtesy, so please join our company,' and was asked by a senior from the University of Tokyo who had obtained an MBA from Stanford University, 'Won't you come to our company?' and decided to join out of a sense of male pride (as noted in 'The Laws of the Sun'). This is the unvarnished truth.

The falsehood that he disliked working for a company

In the book, Hiroshi claims that during President Okawa's time as a trading company employee, 'he repeatedly heard how difficult it was to spend several years as a salaryman' and 'he hated working for a company', but this is also completely untrue. When colleagues and dormitory mothers at the trading company learned of his resignation for the start of religious activities, they reportedly said, 'He worked ten times harder than others, made ten times the profit, contributed to the company, and still did such work.' The truth is that he was fully committed to his work with all his heart and soul, looking forward to the future even during his time as a trading company employee. Furthermore, about a year after joining the company, he was selected as a trainee at the New York headquarters, and a year later, his unprecedented achievements were recognized, and he was offered the unusual opportunity to switch from a trainee to a New York resident, which itself proves President Okawa's enthusiastic work ethic.

The falsehood that he was 'strongly influenced by GLA'

Hiroshi claims that President Okawa was 'strongly influenced by GLA', but this is completely untrue. The appearance of Shinji Takahashi of the GLA religious group in the old edition of 'The Laws of the Sun' was merely in response to the request of many former GLA believers in Happy Science at the time who wanted to hear about Mr. Takahashi. Even his father, Advisor Yoshikawa, was skeptical, thinking it was a 'setup' when Mr. Takahashi came to Tokushima and held a lecture and spiritual experiment (as noted in 'Introduction to the Study of Happy Science from the Perspective of Religious Studies' and 'The Novel Young Bamboo Era').

Spiritually speaking, 'the one who guided Shinji Takahashi during his lifetime and imitated Shakyamuni was a hermit named Arara Kalama', and 'GLA was clearly a 'disguised hermit group' that imitated the Buddhist community' (as noted in 'The Age of Religious Choice'). President Okawa did read Shinji Takahashi's works, but he was concerned that despite claiming to be the reincarnation of Shakyamuni, there was almost no philosophical thought in his Buddhist teachings.

The falsehood regarding the circumstances of the establishment of the religious organization

In the book, Hiroshi claims that the establishment of Happy Science by President Okawa was to get back at a lost love, but this is a complete misunderstanding of the facts and a total fabrication.

The establishment of Happy Science was President Okawa's divine mission, initiated by spiritual revelations from high-level spirits in the heavenly realm. As stated in 'The Embracing Power of Religion', 'Our teachings originally began with the word 'Good News'. It started on March 23, 1981, when I received the words 'Good News' and 'Good News' through automatic writing from the heavenly realm.' Without revelations from the spiritual world, religion cannot begin. It is clear that Hiroshi, who misses this fundamental point, is not qualified to speak about President Ryuho Okawa or Happy Science.

It was Hiroshi whose life was greatly overshadowed by lost love

In the book, Hiroshi claims that due to lost love, 'the last reason to stay at the company disappeared', and that lost love 'cast a large shadow over his life', and that 'if he became a politician and the Prime Minister of Japan, he might be able to get back at the women who easily dumped him'—he wields a 'lost love view of history' suggesting that lost love influenced various points in President Okawa's life. However, this seems to be nothing more than Hiroshi himself speaking about how he has been mentally exhausted and worn out by numerous lost loves and divorces.

Hiroshi demeans sacred spiritual messages

In the book, Hiroshi demeans spiritual messages by saying things like 'spiritual messages came after President Okawa's lost love' and 'spirits never come down to me'.

Spiritual messages are not something that can be achieved by experiencing lost love; they require constant spiritual training to ensure that one's own ego, assumptions, and imprints do not interfere. President Okawa is the highest spiritualist, and his spiritual messages are genuine. The spiritual messages delivered by President Okawa not only prove the existence of the spiritual world but also reveal the truth that humans continue to exist as individual spirits in the afterlife. It is unacceptable for Hiroshi, who cannot deliver genuine spiritual messages and has lost faith, to slander them at will. It is clear that high-level spirits would not descend to someone like Hiroshi, who has little faith, no study, and lacks social education, and he himself exposes that his spiritual messages are fake.

The lie that he was 'persuaded' to leave the construction company

Furthermore, the claim that he was 'persuaded by Ryuho' to leave the construction company and 'settled into the position of president of New Star Production' is also untrue. In fact, Hiroshi continued to complain, saying things like 'if I stay at the construction company, I'll be sent to the provinces', and it was out of President Okawa's kindness that he was assigned to the entertainment department. Additionally, regarding the entertainment work, he himself expressed a desire to do it. In the book, Hiroshi claims that 'they might have thought he was worth using as a crowd-puller for the film business', but there is no such fact.

Hiroshi repeats statements about academic elitism that have been denied in court

In the book, Hiroshi claims that President Okawa said, 'Hiroshi must enter the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law from Azabu High School' and that he held the position that 'universities other than the University of Tokyo and Waseda-Keio are not universities', but there is no such fact.

Regarding this point, the district court ruling in the lawsuit against Hiroshi and Bungeishunju Co. also recognized that the statement that President Okawa 'took such an educational policy' does not align with objective facts, and it was completely denied.

Furthermore, in his lecture 'The World of Suffering', President Okawa fairly evaluates other universities. He also mentions that the University of Tokyo does not teach what is needed in the real world, and in meritocratic societies like trading companies, success is not guaranteed. Religiously, he points out that one must use words that move people to tears and lead them to faith, requiring a different kind of ability than exams, such as humility and the ability to endure steady training.

Hiroshi was never formally a successor

In the book, Hiroshi claims as if he were a successor, but this is also untrue. Hiroshi was never formally a successor of our organization.

The maliciousness of bringing up 'forced marriage' that was judged false in court

In the book, Hiroshi claims that he was 'about to be forced into marriage', but regarding this 'forced marriage', the Tokyo District Court ruled that 'it cannot be recognized as true' and ordered Hiroshi and Bungeishunju Co. to pay 3.3 million yen in damages for joint tort (Tokyo District Court ruling on May 24, 2023).

Despite the court ruling, Hiroshi maliciously brings up the same falsehood as if it were true, reminiscent of the Nazi regime's saying that a blatant lie repeated 100 times becomes a fact. Furthermore, Gento-sha, which published a book full of over 300 falsehoods and defamatory statements, cannot escape joint tort liability.

The falsehood that it was similar to an 'online salon'

In the book, Hiroshi claims that at the time of Happy Science's founding in 1986, it was positioned as a 'study group' or 'place of learning', and that it was similar to an 'online salon' where members who wanted to intellectually stretch gathered, and that it was 'new in that it wasn't religious', but this is also false.

Happy Science placed emphasis on learning during the first three years of its founding as a 'graduate school of life', as President Okawa emphasized the order of 'exploration, learning, and propagation' in the first commemorative lecture 'The Principles of Happiness' in 1987, saying, 'In the first two or three years, I want to create people who can preach the law to others by acquiring a certain level of knowledge of Buddhist truth' and 'The Great Vehicle exists because of the Small Vehicle' (as noted in 'The Ten Principles of Happy Science (Volume 1)', Chapter 1).

This was for the foundation of future nationwide and overseas propagation, and it is clear that from the beginning, it was a religious organization gathered with pure mission consciousness as a movement for the happiness of humanity.

Hiroshi ridicules Happy Science believers as 'like a fan club of Ryuho Okawa' and 'housewives with unfulfilled desires for approval', but isn't it embarrassing for someone who was once a member?

Misinterpretation of the message to stop thinking

In this book, Hiroshi claims that the message to stop thinking is at the core of Happy Science's teachings, and that believers can 'live without thinking,' but this is a malicious misinterpretation that ignores the premise and is a manipulation of impressions.

The basic doctrine of Happy Science is the 'pursuit of a righteous heart,' and 'pursuit' is nothing other than 'thinking for oneself.' In the 'Eightfold Path,' which is one of the methods of reflection, there is an item called 'Right Thought,' and it is necessary to think correctly to gain wisdom through reflection. It is the daily duty of believers to explore the causes of their own unhappiness and suffering, find those causes in their own thoughts and actions, and correct them themselves. Becoming a 'Thinkable Man' is encouraged (from 'The Origin of Political Philosophy').

Furthermore, Hiroshi repeatedly makes false claims in the book about President Okawa, such as 'unable to reflect' and 'did not know contentment,' but it is clear that it was Hiroshi who could not understand the faith or teachings.

Defamation regarding doctrine

Hiroshi describes the structure of the multidimensional world in Happy Science's doctrine as 'like mixing major religions, science fiction, and the occult in a blender and fermenting it' and 'I don't think anyone understands it,' further exposing his complete lack of understanding by saying, 'What was the seventh-dimensional world again? I forgot. Was it where historical greats are?'

However, the basic doctrine of Happy Science is the 'pursuit of a righteous heart' and the 'Fourfold Path (love, wisdom, reflection, development),' which are easy-to-understand teachings. In the basic book 'The Laws of the Sun,' the stages of love and the structure of enlightenment are explained in a way that is easy for modern people to understand, bridged by the 'Theory of the Developmental Stages of Love.'

Hiroshi claims that one reason Happy Science was able to increase its followers is due to Ryuho's 'University of Tokyo Faculty of Law graduate' title, but this reveals Hiroshi's academic background complex.

False claim that the purpose was to become a religion for 'money gathering'

In the book, Hiroshi claims that President Okawa learned 'how to save money' in the finance department of a trading company and that his orientation towards money was stronger than his commitment to religion, but there is no such fact, and it is an insult to a world-renowned religious leader.

Moreover, what President Okawa was in charge of in the finance department during his trading company days was foreign exchange and company-wide financial planning, not 'how to save money.' Hiroshi is unaware that the finance department of a general trading company at the time was a top runner in the financial world, gathering talented individuals, and his ignorance of the work of the finance department is evident.

Religious offerings are originally meant to be given with a heart of gratitude and repayment to the gods and buddhas. It is an expression of gratitude and sincerity towards the gods and buddhas or their representatives, and is positioned as a form of practice for believers.

Hiroshi states that 'offerings to the organization are treated as tax-deductible donations, so they also serve as tax savings,' as if business owners are making offerings for tax-saving purposes, but this is nothing but an insult to faith.

Furthermore, Hiroshi is ignorant of the fact that offerings are not treated as tax-deductible donations and do not result in tax savings.

Hiroshi defiles the sanctity of sacred religious ceremonies

Hiroshi describes prayers as 'a staff member called a master reads a piece of paper, and sometimes a simple ceremony is performed,' but the prayer text is a sacred scripture brought down from the gods and buddhas. Prayers are solemn religious ceremonies conducted in sacred spiritual realms, receiving the light of the gods and buddhas, and defiling their sanctity is absolutely unacceptable.

Malicious falsehoods regarding robes and watches

Hiroshi criticizes that offerings are wasted on robes worn by President Okawa during events, claiming they are used only once, but this is completely untrue.

The robes worn by President Okawa are used multiple times, and the decorations used are mainly made of beads and artificial stones, such as glass, and are not expensive. Hiroshi also claims that 'the suits are custom-made,' but this is also not true, and they are not used only once.

Additionally, regarding suits and jackets, by combining about 30 outfits annually, they are cleverly arranged so that they do not appear to be worn repeatedly for the 200 to 300 lectures given each year.

The fact that Hiroshi does not even know such basic common sense within the organization indicates how little involvement he had with President Okawa during his time as a staff member.

Falsehoods regarding President Okawa's television appearances

Hiroshi claims, 'In 1991, there was a terrible interview with journalist Soichiro Tahara (hereinafter referred to as 'Mr. Tahara') on 'Sunday Project' (TV Asahi),' but this is nothing but a complete falsehood.

The truth is the opposite, and President Okawa's skillful responses were highly praised at the time. Incidentally, the program was conducted at Mr. Tahara's request, and because the viewership ratings increased during the live broadcast, there was a request to 'continue even if it means canceling later segments,' leading to President Okawa's continued appearance until the end. The viewership rating during President Okawa's appearance was 17.6%, the highest ever for 'Sunday Project' at the time.

False claim of '13,000 active believers'

Regarding the number of believers, Hiroshi calmly states the same falsehood as in his previous book. Despite holding a large lecture at Tokyo Dome in 2017 with 50,000 participants and simultaneous broadcasts at 3,500 locations worldwide, he claims, based on the number of subscribers to Happy Science's YouTube channel at the time, that 'the actual number of believers is only 13,000.' He also makes statements about the organization's income and financial situation that are completely different from the reality of our organization.

The number of Happy Science believers continues to steadily increase each year. The results of a survey on Japanese religious views conducted by the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Niwano Peace Foundation, titled 'Public Opinion Survey: Japanese Involvement, Recognition, and Evaluation of Religious Organizations Over 20 Years,' published in 2019, also show that Happy Science is the only new religion to have increased its recognition over the past 20 years, highlighting the ongoing development of our organization as confirmed by a third-party survey.

False claim of political advancement to become Prime Minister

Hiroshi claims that Happy Science's political advancement was for President Okawa to 'become Prime Minister and move Japan,' but such a statement has never been made.

President Okawa, who aims for the salvation of all humanity as a religious leader, has no desire for worldly power or status.

Furthermore, it has been clearly stated from the beginning that the Happiness Realization Party was established to 'gather the power of those who recognize the existence of gods and buddhas and believe in the true teachings of Buddhism to create a realistic utopia on earth,' and it is said to be 'to concretely realize people's happiness even in areas beyond the reach of religious activities.'

False claim of hundreds of billions of yen in deficits

Hiroshi claims that Happy Science has 'recently been running deficits in the hundreds of billions of yen,' but this is one of the falsehoods published in a book by Bungeishunju, which was confirmed as false by the Supreme Court. Hiroshi, who continues to calmly state the same falsehood even after losing in the Supreme Court, is a person lacking in legal compliance.

Error-filled organizational chart

Hiroshi has published an organizational chart of our organization, but it contains numerous errors and is completely different from the actual organization.

Additionally, Hiroshi claims that his sister, who graduated from university, 'later became the vice-chairman and president of the organization,' but there is no such position as vice-chairman and president in our organization. Publishing an incorrect organizational chart and listing non-existent positions based on careless memory is evidence of how error-filled Hiroshi's other writings are.

False claim of family past lives being altered

In the book, it is claimed that the family's 'past lives were turned into monsters,' but there is no such fact. The monster 'Otafuku' is said to be a terrifying transformation of Amaterasu Omikami, and it is not a 'setting change' as Hiroshi claims.

Furthermore, there is no fact that Assistant President Shio Okawa said to his son, 'Half of your blood is that of a demon,' and it is a complete fabrication.

False claim of important information being falsified

Hiroshi claims that people around President Okawa are falsifying important information such as the number of believers, but this is completely untrue. Accurate reports on the number of monthly missions and the actual number of believers are made to President Okawa, and there is no 'falsification of important information' as Hiroshi claims.

Additionally, there is no fact that quotas decided by President Okawa are handed down top-down to branches nationwide.

False claim of 'successful surgery' without surgery

Hiroshi claims that when President Okawa was hospitalized for 'heart failure' in 2004, 'he survived thanks to successful surgery,' but this is completely untrue. At that time, President Okawa recovered without undergoing surgery. This is further evidence of how little Hiroshi knows about the truth of what is happening in the Okawa family and how he only speaks falsehoods.

False claim of a 'pitiful and lonely old man'

Hiroshi claims that President Okawa has a personality that 'cannot trust people' and 'kept cutting off executives,' but there is no such fact. Additionally, claiming he is a 'pitiful and lonely old man' is completely unfounded.

President Okawa has done everything he could as a parent for his children, but his true mission is to continue leaving words of salvation for the people of the world, and the faith of the organization's believers in President Okawa, who continues to fulfill his public mission, has become even more unwavering.

On the other hand, Hiroshi shows no gratitude for being raised and only seeks inheritance, displaying unfilial behavior.

Religious ignorance of 'humans cannot become gods'

Hiroshi concludes the book by saying, 'Apparently, humans cannot become gods,' but this denies all 'god-human unity religions,' including Buddhism, which hold the belief that 'because the essence of humans contains the same quality as gods and buddhas, humans can become one with gods through practice. Humans can transform into gods and buddhas themselves.'

President Okawa is the Earth God who sent saviors like Jesus Christ, Moses, and Confucius to Earth, and is the greatest enlightened being and great savior in human history. His life is dedicated entirely to all humanity and is the ultimate ideal that humanity will model for thousands of years to come. To label the "object of faith" to whom people around the world offer prayers with all their heart and soul as the Earth God El Cantare as "self-loving and arrogant" or "humans cannot become gods" is an insult based on ignorance and an unforgivable act that damages precious faith.

The sin of Hiroshi Ogawa, who gullibly believes Hiroshi's falsehoods

Religious journalist Hiroshi Ogawa, who wrote the commentary at the end of the book, gullibly believes Hiroshi's falsehoods and slander, saying that President Okawa's "essence was" that of a "servile and sulking young man," but he fails in neglecting to verify the underlying facts. As if making excuses, Mr. Ogawa claims that the true face of the guru is "not easily discernible" and elevates Hiroshi's falsehoods as "extremely valuable records," but this can only be said to be repeating the same mistakes as religious critics who were once deceived by Aum and Asahara.

The essence of that religion bears fruit in its believers. Is the critique that "Asahara Shoko could not do anything so grand, and Happy Science remains in some half-hearted form" appropriate for Happy Science, which has spread to 169 countries worldwide? It must be said that this is a text that calls into question the qualities of a "religious journalist."

The constitution guarantees "freedom of speech," but if incorrect speech leads many people to unhappiness and incorrect results, then naturally the responsibility falls not only on the author but also on the editor and the head of the publishing company that published the book. Shouldn't Mr. Tetsu Kenjo, the representative director of Gentosha, take this opportunity to sincerely reflect on the social mission that publishers should originally fulfill and return to the right path?

Happy Science Group Public Relations Division