March 10 Issue (Released on 3/3) "Weekly Shincho" Article Public Relations Division Comment

Comment from the Public Relations Division of Happy Science on the "Weekly Shincho" article released on March 3, 2011 (Thursday), titled "There Are Things to Do Before the Massive Tax Increase! Tax 'Religious Corporations'!"

In the "Weekly Shincho" released on March 3, an article about our organization was published under the headline "There Are Things to Do Before the Massive Tax Increase! Tax 'Religious Corporations'!", mixing truth and falsehood.
In response to this "taxation argument on religious corporations," we have published a counterargument on "The Liberty web" open_in_new titled "Tax Exemption for Religion is a Global Norm - Beware of Emotional Religious Taxation Arguments." Please take a look.

Additionally, regarding the part of the article concerning our organization, we will publish a counterargument below as a comment from the Public Relations Division.

President Ryuho Okawa conducts extensive teachings, publishes numerous scriptures, and creates spiritual messages, revelations, and sutras, which require religious facilities where trained disciples maintain a pure boundary. The Daigokan, Utsunomiya Buddha Treasure Hall, and Kita-Karuizawa Shoja mentioned in the article are all such religious facilities (as they are not intended for general believers to visit, details within the facilities are not disclosed).

Among them, the Daigokan is the Founder’s Hall and the source of everything for our revelation-based religion, where President Okawa and his children reside, living a public life for the salvation of humanity 24/7, 365 days a year, having abandoned private life. To fulfill his public mission, President Okawa has enhanced the religious facilities with a walking meditation hall, bathing area, and scripture repository to maintain a spiritual environment. To perceive this as a worldly facility, as Ms. Kyoko and "Weekly Shincho" do, can only be judged as reaching a level of religious ignorance.

We will strongly protest against past and current articles and prepare legal procedures against Ms. Kyoko Okawa and the weekly magazine.