Yoshikazu Okada
Encyclopedia
Yoshikazu Okada born February 27, 1901 in the Aoyama
area of Tokyo
's Minato
Ward, also known as Kōtama Okada, (岡田 光玉) was the founder of a new religious movement
in Japan
(Shinshūkyō
) generally referred to as Mahikari
.
Yoshikazu Okada was born into a wealthy family as the son of Mr. Inasaburo, a major general
in the Imperial Japanese Army
. Mr. Okada, who studied with Prince Chichibu
(Yasuhito) and others who came from prominent Japanese families, graduated from the Japanese Army Officer Training School in 1922 and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Guard. After serving in military campaigns in China
and Indochina
, Mr. Okada retired from the army in 1941 due to a back injury with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
.
In 1947, Yoshikazu Okada became a minister of Sekai Kyūsei Kyō (世界救世教) (Church of World Messianity
), a Shinshūkyō
which was founded by Mokichi Okada
(1882–1955) (no relation to Yoshikazu Okada). After leaving Sekai Kyūsei Kyō in 1953, Yoshikazu Okada established the Mahikari
organization in 1959, which became known as Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan in 1963, and assumed the name of Kōtama ("Jewel of Light").
When Mr. Okada died in 1974, there was a dispute about who was to succeed him as spiritual leader of Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan. After court hearings over several years, control of Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan, was awarded to Sakae Sekiguchi. In 1978, Mr. Okada's adopted daughter, Sachiko Okada, who assumed the name Keishu and claimed that, due to a divine revelation
, she was the next spiritual leader of the Mahikari
movement, registered the name Sukyo Mahikari
and formed another organization based on Mr. Okada's teachings.
Aoyama
Aoyama may refer to:-Places:* Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan** Aoyama Gakuin University, famous university located in Aoyama, Tokyo** Aoyama-itchōme Station, a railway station in Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
area of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
's Minato
Minato
- Places :Special wards in Tokyo* Minato, TokyoWards in cities* Minato-ku, Nagoya* Minato-ku, Osaka** Minato Bridge, a 1974 double-deck cantilever truss bridge- People :* Nicolò Minato - Places :Special wards in Tokyo* Minato, TokyoWards in cities* Minato-ku, Nagoya* Minato-ku, Osaka** Minato...
Ward, also known as Kōtama Okada, (岡田 光玉) was the founder of a new religious movement
New religious movement
A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(Shinshūkyō
Shinshukyo
is a Japanese term used to describe domestic new religious movements. They are also known as in Japanese, and are most often called simply Japanese new religions in English. Japanese theologians classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as Shinshūkyō. Thus,...
) generally referred to as Mahikari
Mahikari
Mahikari is a Japanese new religious movement , with a number of variants or offshoots, founded in 1963 by Yoshikazu Okada...
.
Yoshikazu Okada was born into a wealthy family as the son of Mr. Inasaburo, a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. Mr. Okada, who studied with Prince Chichibu
Prince Chichibu
, also known as Prince Yasuhito, was the second son of Emperor Taishō and a younger brother of the Emperor Shōwa. As a member of the Imperial House of Japan, he was the patron of several sporting, medical, and international exchange organizations...
(Yasuhito) and others who came from prominent Japanese families, graduated from the Japanese Army Officer Training School in 1922 and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Guard. After serving in military campaigns in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
, Mr. Okada retired from the army in 1941 due to a back injury with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
.
In 1947, Yoshikazu Okada became a minister of Sekai Kyūsei Kyō (世界救世教) (Church of World Messianity
Church of World Messianity
The Church of World Messianity , abbreviated COWM, is a "new religion" founded in 1935 by Mokichi Okada. The religion's key concept is Johrei, claimed to be a method of channeling divine light into the body of another for the purposes of healing...
), a Shinshūkyō
Shinshukyo
is a Japanese term used to describe domestic new religious movements. They are also known as in Japanese, and are most often called simply Japanese new religions in English. Japanese theologians classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as Shinshūkyō. Thus,...
which was founded by Mokichi Okada
Mokichi Okada
Mokichi Okada was the founder of the Church of World Messianity, in which he is known by the honorific title Meishū-sama...
(1882–1955) (no relation to Yoshikazu Okada). After leaving Sekai Kyūsei Kyō in 1953, Yoshikazu Okada established the Mahikari
Mahikari
Mahikari is a Japanese new religious movement , with a number of variants or offshoots, founded in 1963 by Yoshikazu Okada...
organization in 1959, which became known as Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan in 1963, and assumed the name of Kōtama ("Jewel of Light").
When Mr. Okada died in 1974, there was a dispute about who was to succeed him as spiritual leader of Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan. After court hearings over several years, control of Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan, was awarded to Sakae Sekiguchi. In 1978, Mr. Okada's adopted daughter, Sachiko Okada, who assumed the name Keishu and claimed that, due to a divine revelation
Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
, she was the next spiritual leader of the Mahikari
Mahikari
Mahikari is a Japanese new religious movement , with a number of variants or offshoots, founded in 1963 by Yoshikazu Okada...
movement, registered the name Sukyo Mahikari
Sukyo Mahikari
Sukyo Mahikari is a nonprofit spiritual and community service organization with centers in more than 75 countries. Originally founded by Kotama Okada in 1959 under the name L.H. Yokoshi Tomo no Kai, Sukyo Mahikari was registered on 23 June 1978 by Keishu Okada as part of an amicable settlement...
and formed another organization based on Mr. Okada's teachings.