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Religious leader 'speaks' as late Matsushita founder

9 Comments

It would have been interesting to seek the opinion of Matsushita (now Panasonic) founder Konosuke Matsushita (who died in 1989), a charismatic business leader respected as the “god of management,” on the current economic state in Japan.

In fact, someone has done just that.

Matsushita’s "words" are recorded in a book published by the religious corporation Kofuku no Kagaku, titled “Matsushita Konosuke Nihon wo Shikaru" (Matsushita Scolds Japan), which ostensibly sold 150,000 copies. It appears that Ryuho Okawa, founder of this religious group, can call Matsushita to "descend" from heaven and "enter" his body.

The book is written in the style of an interview, which begins with the interviewer requesting the descent of Matsushita. Ten seconds later, Okawa introduces himself as Matsushita and begins answering questions in the Kansai dialect spoken by the late Osaka industrialist. On politics “Mr Matsushita” expresses dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party, saying that he doesn’t care for Hatoyama or Ozawa who ought to share their money with the public because they’re receiving plenty from their parents. Regarding the economic downturn, “Mr Matsushita” comments the nation should provide money that the banks are refusing to loan. Further, he suggests polygamy as a way to halt the declining birthrate. “Mr Matsushita” goes so far as to say that a shrine should be built in his honor and praises Ryuho Okawa, implying that other religions don’t even need to exist.

It all sounds pretty ludicrous but Kofuku no Kagaku’s public relations department declares the statements are indeed Matsushita’s very own. Worse still, the religious group has published a similar book on the historical figure Ryoma Sakamoto who again descends from heaven, and speaking through Ryuho Okawa, urges Japan to make nuclear weapons.

Both Matsushita and Sakamoto must be turning over in their graves.

© Japan Today

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9 Comments
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Matsushita-san was certainly the titan of Japan's industry. The others were Kiichiro Toyoda and Akio Morita of Sony. He would certainly disapprove of these shannigans going on. He was generous as well. Annecdotes: he donated annually to a animal kennel my mother volunteered at in Osaka in the 60's after she approached him for a donation at a hotel. His former employee married his sister and they founded Sanyo Electric which merged with Panasonic last year. He could be compared to Andrew Carnegie of Japan.

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Kofuku no Kagaku = charlatans

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"Hands down. The Japanese have the best damn loonies in the whole world." Now hold on a moment. Yes Japan does seem to have a special capacity for nut jobs, but so do a lot of other places.

To find out who has the best loonies in the world, I propose we start a new global even. The Looney Olympics. Maybe Ishihara can get Tokyo to host it. ;)

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There is never ending evidence for the gullability and foolishness of human kind. You can get some people to believe just about anything if you package it properly. And you can get a fair number of people to follow you straight to oblivion if you tap into their fears, anxieties or desire to be something..."special."

It it any wonder in a country where fortune tellers greatly outnumber therapists and clinical social workers that the masses buy into this non-sense enough to buy books and drop gobs of cash on these fakers?

If my sense of morality did not stand in the way, I could easily dream up a cult that herds of sheep would come following after while the cult makes a financial killing. But would not be able to sleep at night knowing I had so easily skinned the sheep.

Sadly too many people don't think twice about ripping off the brain dead hoards of followers that are all to easily found.

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kofuku no kagaku-

they didn&t translate the name-- "the science of happiness"

my home country has no shortage of odd religious figures, so I wonT commenT.

kofuku no kagaku has a church near my house. They always give the appearance of overly well-meaning Christians who are/ want to be really Nice. I didn&t know they were into seances and nukes. They have all these fliers about how ppl aren&t happy with their lives and how to find happiness. (haven&t read it but probably has something to do with joining their church.) They also have a political party with a similar sounding name, forgot what exactly.

hakujinsensei-

he is a work of hitting?

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gandhi speaks thru me and he says this guy is a total whack job ; )

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Hands down. The Japanese have the best damn loonies in the whole world. Get this guy to hook up with the folks who dress in white to ward of the electromagnetic waves and you'd have a reality show I could never turn off.

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did they use a OUIJA board?

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