Ryuho Okawa, the founder of the Japanese sect Happy Science, which claims millions of members in more than 160 countries, died on Thursday at the age of 66, local media reported.
The cause of death was not known, according to Fuji TV. Cult officials could not be reached immediately to confirm the death.
Born in 1956, Ryuho Okawa founded the religious group Happy Science in 1986, which believes in reincarnation and aims to “build a world ruled by love, happiness and prosperity”.
However, the sect had come under criticism due to the downright cult of personality surrounding its founder, which came in part from his son Hiroshi.
“I think what my father is doing is completely absurd,” he told the New York Times in 2020, adding that Ryuho Okawa “lied relentlessly to his followers.”
Mr. Okawa was known to the Japanese public for his outlandish claims that he could communicate with the spirits of figures, publishing books of “interviews” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, former US President Donald Trump, and even Jesus Christ.
The founder of the cult stayed away from the media, but was still regularly present through newspaper advertisements for his books, films and records.
In 2009, he founded a political party that is particularly committed to curbing the rise of China and restricting the rights of the LGBT+ community.
No Happiness Achievement Party candidate has been elected to Parliament, but has won several seats in local government.
Fringe religious groups like Happy Science have long operated with relatively few restrictions in Japan, but have come under increased scrutiny since the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last year.
His alleged killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, said he targeted Mr Abe for his alleged links to the Moon sect, also known as the Unification Church.
The suspect resented this group, to which his mother would have made very large donations and ruined her family.
The Japanese government has faced an avalanche of criticism over the proven links between its party’s parliamentarians and the Moon sect.
A law was passed in December to tighten the rules on donations to religious groups.