Ryuho Okawa, the founder of Japan’s ‘Happy Science’ cult, which claims millions of members in more than 160 countries, died Thursday at the age of 66, local media reported.
The cause of death was not known, according to Fuji TV. Cult officials could not immediately be reached to confirm the death.
Born in 1956, Ryuho Okawa founded the religious group “Happy Science” in 1986, which believes in reincarnation and says it aims “to establish a world where love, happiness and prosperity reign”.
The sect had however been the subject of criticism due to the real cult of personality around its founder, some coming from his son Hiroshi.
“I believe what my father is doing is completely absurd,” he told the New York Times in 2020, adding that Ryuho Okawa had “relentlessly lied to his followers.”
Mr. Okawa was known to the Japanese public for his outlandish claims that he could communicate with the spirits of personalities, publishing books of “interviews” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, former US President Donald Trump and even Jesus Christ.
The founder of the sect kept away from the media, but was nevertheless regularly present through newspaper advertisements for his books, films and records.
In 2009, he launched a political party advocating in particular to stem the rise of China and restrict the rights of the LGBT + community.
No candidate of the “Happiness Achievement Party” has so far been elected to parliament, but several have won seats in local government.
Fringe religious groups like Happy Science have long operated in Japan with relatively few restrictions, but have come under increased scrutiny since the murder last year of former prime minister Shinzo Abe.
His alleged killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, said he targeted Mr Abe because of his alleged ties to the Moon sect, also known as the Unification Church.
The suspect resented this group, to which his mother would have made very large donations, leading their family to ruin.
The Japanese government has been subjected to an avalanche of criticism over the proven links between parliamentarians from its party and the Moon sect.
A law to strengthen the rules on donations to religious groups was passed in December.
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