Yoshikazu Okada, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetYoshikazu Okada
Japanese religious movement founder
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan
About Yoshikazu Okada
- Yoshikazu Okada (?? ??), born February 27, 1901 in the Aoyama area of Tokyo's Minato Ward, also known as Kotama Okada, (?? ??) was the founder of a new religious movement in Japan (Shinshukyo) generally referred to as Mahikari. Yoshikazu Okada was born into a wealthy family as the son of Inasaburo, a major general in the Imperial Japanese Army.
- 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, Okada retired from the army in 1941 due to a back injury with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
- Yoshikazu Okada established the Mahikari organization in 1959, which became known as Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan in 1963, and assumed the name of "Kotama" ("Sphere of Light").
- In 1974, with Okada's passing, there were court hearings held over several years.
- An amicable settlement was reached (wakai).
- Sakae Sekiguchi assumed leadership of Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan, and in 1978, Keishu Okada established Sukyo Mahikari.
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