Rainbows 'n kitties? Try guns 'n ammo.

Democratic? Republican? Libertarian? Lame!
I had a good laugh at this Shizuoka gubernatorial election campaign poster in all its politi-cuteness…that is, until I performed a quick internet search for information on this party’s background and platform.

According to an article in the Japan Times, the Happiness Realization Party is a brand new political party founded by Mr. Ryuho Okawa, who is also the founder of the Happy Science Church: “The church was founded in 1986 and professes a new form of Buddhism that teaches war is acceptable when in defense of a nation and purports Mr. Okawa as the reincarnation of the Buddha.”

The pink-blazered woman above is Kyoko Okawa, Ryuho’s wife. As the Japan Times reports, “According to Ms. Okawa the party proposes scrapping Article 9 of the Constitution to allow for full militarization of Japan . . . enabling Japan to have first strike capabilities with missiles against North Korea . . . and opening a possibility for Japan to either acquire or develop nuclear weapons.”

Happiness Realization ain’t all smiles and sunshine. I’ve read blogs by Japanese authors pegging the party a cult, attesting that members are continually harassed for monetary donations, and also mentioning the party’s rumored link to the love hotel industry (taking profits earned from the hotels they were connected with operating and recording them as “donations” to the church).

Not to mention Article 20 of the Japanese constitution: “No religious organization shall receive any privileges from the state or exercise any political authority. No person shall be compelled to take part in any religious acts. The state and its organs shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity.”

In truly happy news, as far as I know, Ms. Okawa won only a sliver of votes in the election, which took place in early July…