Editing Happy Science (section)

==Controversy==
Happy Science is widely regarded as a cult<ref name="vice">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/my-afternoon-with-a-failed-japanese-cult/|title=Happy Science Is the Laziest Cult Ever |last=Saint-Guily |first=Sylla |date=3 October 2012 |magazine=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127162701/https://www.vice.com/read/my-afternoon-with-a-failed-japanese-cult |archive-date=27 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="jt20090804">{{Citation| last = McNeill| first = David| title = Party offers a third way: happiness| newspaper = [[The Japan Times]]| date = 4 August 2009| url = https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2009/08/04/community/party-offers-a-third-way-happiness/| access-date = 6 August 2009| archive-date = 7 November 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131107191435/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2009/08/04/community/party-offers-a-third-way-happiness/| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Trump's 'stop the steal' message finds an international audience among conspiracy theorists and suspected cults|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/01/07/trump-qanon-stop-the-steal-japan/|access-date=2021-09-14|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name=Musasizi>{{cite news |url=http://www.observer.ug/component/content/article?id=19408:clerics-call-for-probe-into-happy-science |title=Clerics call for probe into Happy Science |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222092033/http://www.observer.ug/component/content/article?id=19408:clerics-call-for-probe-into-happy-science |archive-date=22 December 2015 |last=Musasizi |first=Simon |newspaper=[[The Observer (Uganda)|The Observer]] |date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=thejakartapost>{{cite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/07/22/happy-science-a-new-cult-offers-celebrity-guide-heaven.html |title=Happy Science, a new cult offers celebrity guide to heaven |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825072332/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/07/22/happy-science-a-new-cult-offers-celebrity-guide-heaven.html |newspaper=[[The Jakarta Post]] |date=22 July 2012 |archive-date=25 August 2012}}</ref><ref name=Donnelly>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/blooming--happy-science-cult-channels-disney-ghandi-jesus-and-thatcher-20151028-gkkzow.html |title=Blooming 'Happy Science' religion channels Disney, Gandhi, Jesus and Thatcher |last=Donnelly |first=Beau |newspaper=[[The Age]] |date=2 November 2015 |access-date=4 January 2016 |archive-date=5 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205191100/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/blooming--happy-science-cult-channels-disney-ghandi-jesus-and-thatcher-20151028-gkkzow.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-09|title=Japanese cult representative is speaking for the 10th year in a row at CPAC|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/cpac-japanese-cult-leader-hrioaki-jay-aeb-b1808229.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220509/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/cpac-japanese-cult-leader-hrioaki-jay-aeb-b1808229.html |archive-date=9 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-14|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gilbert|first=David|date=2021-02-25|title=A Japanese Cult That Believes Its Leader Is an Alien From Venus Is Speaking at CPAC|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/a-japanese-cult-that-believes-its-leader-is-an-alien-from-venus-is-speaking-at-cpac/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Vice.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Adelstein|first=Jake|date=2021-02-26|title=Speaking at CPAC: Former Leader of Magical Cult That Channels Ghost of Trump|language=en|work=The Daily Beast|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/former-leader-of-magical-cult-that-channels-ghost-of-trump-speaking-at-cpac|access-date=2021-09-14}}</ref>{{excessive citations inline|date=July 2024}} and one of many controversial [[Japanese new religions]] ({{transliteration|ja|shinshūkyō}}).<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/contentious-religion-from-japan-succeeds-in-uganda_n_1661559.html|work = [[The Huffington Post]]|title = Happy Science, Controversial Religion From Japan, Succeeds in Uganda|last = Muhumuza|first = Rodney|date = 10 July 2012|agency = Associated Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712112146/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/contentious-religion-from-japan-succeeds-in-uganda_n_1661559.html |archive-date=12 July 2012}}</ref> Through the 1990s the group had a bitter rivalry with doomsday cult [[Aum Shinrikyo]], culminating in a failed assassination attempt on leader Ryuho Okawa using the nerve agent [[VX (nerve agent)|VX]] injected into the air conditioning system of Okawa's car. It was one of many VX attacks by Aum members leading up to the [[Tokyo subway sarin attack|1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack]], which killed 14 and injured more than 5,000 people.

Happy Science has also released promotional videos claiming, without evidence, that [[North Korea]] and the [[People's Republic of China]] are plotting the nuclear destruction of Japan.<ref name="jt20090804"/> The group has sold "spiritual vaccines", falsely claiming that they prevent and cure [[COVID-19]], advertised virus-related blessings at rates from US$100 to over US$400, and sold coronavirus-themed DVDs and CDs of Okawa lecturing, which make false claims of supposedly boosting immunity, {{asof|lc=yes|April 2020}}. After initially defying [[physical distancing]] measures, it later closed its New York temple, announcing that it had administered their fraudulent "vaccines" remotely.<ref name="nytimes2020" />

In February 2017, actress [[Fumika Shimizu]] abruptly retired from her former entertainment production agency amidst multiple filming projects for a full-time role in Happy Science, declaring she had been a member of the group since childhood, under the influence of her parents, both of whom were longtime believers in Happy Science.<ref name="fumika">{{Cite news|title=Fumika Shimizu Retires From Acting to Join Happy Science Religious Organization|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-02-13/fumika-shimizu-retires-from-acting-to-join-happy-science-religious-organization/.112162|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=2019-03-13|date=February 2017|archive-date=31 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331140424/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-02-13/fumika-shimizu-retires-from-acting-to-join-happy-science-religious-organization/.112162|url-status=live}}</ref>

Okawa's son and potential successor, Hiroshi Okawa, left the movement and is now one of its outspoken critics. In an article in ''[[The New York Times]]'', he commented, "I believe what my father does is complete nonsense".<ref name="nytimes2020" /> His father has denounced Hiroshi as "demonic" and possessed by devils and the group has sued him for defamation.<ref name="nytimes2020" /><ref name="false gods">{{Cite episode |title=Japan's Strangest Cult? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIS-RE3gO64  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/XIS-RE3gO64 |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|access-date=15 September 2021 |series=False Gods |series-link= |first= |last= |network=[[Vice Media]] |station= |date=28 March 2021 |time=7:10}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In a 2022 interview with [[The World (radio program)|The World]], Hiroshi described Happy Science as a "cult". Regarding Ryuho Okawa's [[Mediumship|spiritual channeling]] sessions, Hiroshi said "It's just a performance". Hiroshi also estimated the number of Happy Science members to be around 13,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Winn |first=Patrick |date=November 30, 2022 |title=Japan's infamous 'happy' cult sets sights on the United States |url=https://theworld.org/stories/2022-11-30/japan-s-infamous-happy-cult-sets-sights-united-states |access-date=10 February 2023 |website=The World}}</ref>