Ryoko Shaku

Born in Tokyo in 1969. Graduated from Kokugakuin University’s Faculty of Letters. After working in a major corporation, she joined the Happy Science religious movement in 1994 and has served in PR, as editor of the magazine The Liberty, Student Affairs Director, Youth Affairs Director, Executive Director, Women’s Affairs Director, and since July 2013, Leader of the Happiness Realization Party in Japan. She has co-authored several works with Master Ryuho Okawa such as "Dreams Never Die" and "Is Your Democracy Wrong?", and authored "Devoting my life to the Politics that Realizes True Happiness". (IRH Press Co., Ltd.)

Toward a Utopia in Japan and the World

by Ryoko Shaku

I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity—through my connection with Editor-in-Chief Paiman—to introduce the Happiness Realization Party in the innovative women’s magazine imagofeminae.

Aiming to Spread Utopia from Japan to the World: The Aspirations of the Happiness Realization Party

The world is currently facing many crises: the war between Russia and Ukraine, a fragile ceasefire in place; rising tensions in the Israel–Iran region; and in Asia, nuclear-armed India and Pakistan remain on edge, while one-party China eyes Taiwan following its control over Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong.
Countless people still suffer from poverty and hunger, without clear solutions in sight.

The Happiness Realization Party, a religiously based political party founded through divine revelation as a response to these global challenges, currently holds 55 local assembly seats, though it has yet to secure a seat in the national Diet. We are committed to exporting “Japanese-style development and prosperity” as a system of true happiness realization—to create a genuine utopia on Earth.

The Worldview Behind Happiness Realization: Founded on “Happy Science”

At the core of our mission lies the expansive spiritual teaching of our parent organization, Happy Science, founded in 1986 by Master  Ryuho Okawa. Approaching its 40th anniversary next year, the movement already has followers in over 184 countries.The founding text, "The Laws of the Sun", penned via Master Okawa’s automatic writing, has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide. It reveals cosmic origins and details human creation—going far beyond Genesis.

A central tenet is the spiritual view of life

Humans are souls whose true home is the spirit world. Our current world is temporary; the cycle of reincarnation exists to purify and refine the soul. Souls live countless lives as men or women, in different eras and countries, perhaps even belonging to various religious traditions across lifetimes. Understanding this fosters empathy—someone you see today as your enemy might once have been a sibling in another life—thus helping prevent conflict.

While Happy Science’s teachings are vast, they distill into three central pillars: “Love,” “Enlightenment,” and “ "Creation of Utopia” Love means giving, not taking. Enlightenment means realizing one’s Buddha-nature. Creation of Utopia means transforming oneself, one’s society, one’s nation, and ultimately, the future.

In "The Laws of the Sun", evil is not presented as a divine attribute but as the clash of human freedoms. Although God grants free will, its misuse leads to moral distortions—evils that can be overcome through remorse and spiritual growth, leading to joy in creation and progress. These spiritual insights underpin our political agenda.

Why a Genuine Religious Political Party Is Needed

Master Okawa, considered by followers to have attained insight surpassing the great spiritual masters, has delivered over 3,500 sermons and authored 3,250 books. His teachings encompass not only spiritual guidance but also policy recommendations on politics, economics, education, and culture.

Believing that policy proposals alone cannot fulfill responsibility, he founded the Happiness Realization Party in 2009. While there are religious-influenced parties in countries like Germany, Japan lacked a truly faith-based political party.

Many constitutions worldwide invoke “God” or a “Creator,” anchoring national identity. But post-WWII imperial Japan, under occupation, secularized its religious foundations. Shinto, with no canonical doctrine, became symbolic; it could not serve as a spiritual pillar for politics.
Historically, Japan was a proud Buddhist nation—from Nara and Kyoto's cultural heritage to Prince Shotoku’s Seventeen-Article Constitution (604 AD), which emphasized the Three Treasures (“Buddha”, “Dharma” and "Sangha"). However, today, religion is often reduced to superstition or mere vote banks.

Openly declaring itself a religious party, we are sometimes misunderstood—but we believe that true happiness cannot be achieved without spiritual grounding. Political failure can lead to wars and poverty, causing suffering in this life and the next. Only a fusion of politics and religion can bring about enduring happiness across worlds.

We also respect religious freedom and seek to collaborate with believers of other faiths who share our vision for a hopeful future.

image: RYOKO SHAKU Leader  Happiness Realization Party Tokyo Japan. holding a speech .foto: © Happy Science Japan. imagofeminae summer 2025 XLV 

Key Policies & Their Spiritual Foundations

1. Eradicating Poverty through Faith and Self-Help
   We emphasize freedom and self-help as the sources of prosperity. Master Okawa stated at the founding, “We will bury Marx’s Communist Manifesto forever.” He critiques communism on several fronts: its endorsement of violent revolution, its materialist atheism, and its leveling of wealth—which undermines motivation and rewards.He calls communist ideology “the rationalization of envy.” God favors abundance—God wants faithful, virtuous individuals to prosper and improve the world.
   Accordingly, we champion a small government with low taxes, focusing only on defense, public safety, and disaster response. We advocate replacing progressive taxation with a flat tax, encouraging responsible freedom and individual flourishing. Wealth arises from private enterprise, not government.
   While acknowledging life’s hardships, we see them as tools for spiritual growth. Our focus is on “equality of opportunity,” not outcome—coupled with basic safety nets. We want people to experience the joy of carving their paths through effort.
2. Liberating People from Oppression via “Freedom–Democracy–Faith”
   We aspire to free those under authoritarian rule. China’s one-party state suppresses thought and expression; millions of Uighur Muslims languish in so-called “re-education camps.” This must not be tolerated.
   Even some Islamic countries suppress freedoms in the name of religious doctrine. Master Okawa studied Hannah Arendt’s concept of the “realm of values” at the University of Tokyo—a philosophical foundation that shapes our opposition to totalitarianism.
   For us, the essence of politics is “freedom, democracy, faith.” Applying this alone could dismantle China’s authoritarianism or transform religiously governed nations lacking democracy—leading to true well-being.
   But even Western nations exhibit “totalitarian tendencies”—pandemic-era lockdowns and environmental regulations have eroded freedom. The global push for decarbonization, rooted in climate alarmism, is seen by Master Okawa as part of a communist strategy to stifle advanced economies.
   We aim to restore a balance of freedom, democracy, and faith—guarding against both secular and ideological oppression.
3. Solving Global Conflicts by Distinguishing Between “Ethnic-Gods” and the “Universal God”
   We seek a God-aligned peace rooted in true justice. While we support a strong defense to deter aggressors like China, we also note that wars can erupt between two “just” sides—such as those rooted in religious divides like Israel/Iran.
   These conflicts often stem from misunderstanding God’s nature. Master Okawa teaches that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam originally reference the same God—but historic Biblical scriptures name both Yahweh, an ethnically oriented God, and Elohim, the universal “God of love.”
   A Yahweh-centered faith can incite vengeance; an Elohim-centered faith inspires love and forgiveness. Following Elohim’s example—love your neighbor, turn the other cheek—is fundamental.
   Our mission includes promoting this religious understanding: elevating humankind’s choice to embrace universal, loving spirituality to resolve conflict.
4. Reinvigorating Japan’s National Pride To solve global issues, Japan must first rebuild itself. After three “lost decades,” its nominal GDP has fallen to fifth globally, trailing Germany and India. This is due to a nanny-state approach that stifles individual effort and a cycle of “giveaways” funded by debt—which now exceeds ¥1,300 trillion. Compounded by security paralysis toward China, North Korea, and Russia, Japan must revive its traditions of diligence, courtesy, and Bushidō. Authentic Bushidō is not ritual suicide—it’s living truthfully with one’s soul aligned with divine purpose: asking daily, “Would I be at peace if I died today?” It rejects lies and fake values. Master Okawa also draws lineage from the ancient manuscript Hotsuma Tsutae, which ties Bushidō to Ame-no-Mioya-Gami. Authentic masculinity and femininity sharpen each other spiritually through mutual refinement. To save Japan and the world—to transform Earth into a utopia—it will take enduring effort. Yet, under the mercy of the Earth-god, we believe in a future of unity—even if it takes millennia, we are ready to fight for that infinite horizon.

image: RYOKO SHAKU Leader Happiness Realization Party Tokyo Japan. At the street in Japan  foto: © Happy Science Japan. imagofeminae summer 2025 XLV 

Acknowledgment

imagofeminae wishes to extend its sincere gratitude to those who supported the preparation and translation of Ryoko Shaku’s essay.

Our heartfelt thanks go to:

• Reiri Ishikawa, Senior Staff Member, Happy Science Europe Headquarters

• Shigeru “Gary” Yamada, Chief Director, International Headquarters

• Ryota Shirotori, for his kind press coordination from the office of Ms. Ryoko Shaku, Tokyo

• Kosuke "John" Ishikawa, Branch Manager, Germany & Finland, for his local support and presence
  

A special thank-you goes to Ms. Ryoko Shaku for generously sharing her work and vision with us. It is an honor to feature her voice in imagofeminae.

With gratitude,
imagofeminae