Happiness Realization Party


The Happiness Realization Party, abbreviated as 幸福, is a Japanese political party founded by Ryuho Okawa on 23 May 2009 "in order to offer the Japanese people a third option" for the elections of August 2009. The HRP is the political wing of the conservative and anti-communist Happy Science religious movement.
Okawa is the current president of the party.

Electoral history

In 2009, the party had 345 candidates, placing it on the ballots of 99% of Japan's 300 constituencies. Many perennial candidates such as Yoshiro Nakamatsu joined the HRP. Despite fielding a total of more than 1 million votes, the party did not win any seats in the election.
In 2012, the party again failed to gain any seats.
As of April 2018, the party had 21 elected local councilors.

Manifesto

According to its manifesto, the group's goal is to more than double Japan's population to 300 million through making child-rearing easier for mothers and actively accepting foreigners into the country. It also aims to change the pacifist Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution in order to increase Japan's economic and military power.
The group identifies itself as "conservative" and is generally considered a right-wing party. The party advocates a nuclear deterrent for Japan, denies that the Nanking Massacre occurred and has called for China to be expelled from the United Nations Security Council.
The party has formed links to the American right, having attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2012, and bringing with them members of the Tokyo Tea Party.

Administration

Jay Aeba, also known as Jikido Aeba, was, of May 2012, advisor of the Republican National Committee of the United States in charge of Asia, with Yuki Oikawa as one of the officials of HRP.

Criticism

According to The Japan Times, "for many, the Happies smell suspiciously like a cult". The party has released promotional videos that claim North Korea and China are plotting to invade and colonize Japan after first subduing it through nuclear warfare.