Editing Ryuho Okawa (section)

==Early life==
Ryuho Okawa was born Takashi Nakagawa on 7 July 1956 in [[Kawashima, Tokushima|Kawashima]] (now [[Yoshinogawa, Tokushima|Yoshinogawa]]), [[Tokushima Prefecture]] as the second son of {{Nihongo|Tadayoshi Nakagawa|中川 忠義|Nakagawa Tadayoshi}} (1921–2003) (later known by his pen name<ref name=winter2013p425>{{Harvnb|Winter|2013|p=425}}</ref> {{Nihongo|Saburō Yoshikawa|善川 三朗|Yoshikawa Saburō}})<ref name=fukui2004p63>{{Harvnb|Fukui|2004|p=63}}</ref> and {{Nihongo|Kimiko Nakagawa|中川 君子|Nakagawa Kimiko}}. His older brother is named {{Nihongo|Tsutomu Nakagawa|中川 力|Nakagawa Tsutomu}} (born 1952) (later known as {{Nihongo|Makoto Tomiyama|富山 誠|Tomiyama Makoto}}).<ref name=astley1995p377>{{Harvnb|Astley|1995|p=377}}</ref><ref name=yoshikawa1985back>{{Harvnb|Yoshikawa|1985|loc=back cover}}</ref>

Okawa said his family was religious; both of his parents believed in God and the Buddha, and Okawa believed in the existence of spirits and souls, and a world after death in childhood.<ref name=fukui2004p62>{{Harvnb|Fukui|2004|p=62}}</ref> Despite his beliefs, Okawa was not active in religious practice.<ref name=fukui2004pp62-63>{{Harvnb|Fukui|2004|pp=62–63}}</ref> Okawa and Tomiyama were raised in a strict home environment that was ordinary and not particularly rich nor poor.<ref name=fukui2004p63 />

Yoshikawa is said to be one of the most important influences on Okawa's life. Okawa said, despite not having a spiritual or religious master, Yoshikawa had an important influence. Yoshikawa edited journals for the [[Japanese Communist Party]] and later worked as an agricultural advisor in local government. He was deeply interested in spirituality and religion. He studied in the Christian Church as a teenager, as well as in a new religion called [[Seicho-no-Ie]] after [[World War II]]. He later became a follower of [[Shinji Takahashi (religious leader)|Shinji Takahashi]], leader of the religious organization {{ill|God Light Association|ja|GLA (宗教法人)}} (GLA).<ref name=fukui2004p63 /> He would also later serve as Happy Science's official adviser in its first few years.{{efn|Yoshikawa was known as {{Nihongo|"Honorable Adviser"|名誉顧問|Meiyo Komon}}. In January 2003, a memorial shrine for him opened.<ref name=fukui2004p66>{{Harvnb|Fukui|2004|p=66}}</ref>}}<ref name=fukui2004p66 /> Yoshikawa was demanding on Okawa's success.<ref name=astley1995p344 /> Yoshikawa gave him and Tomiyama hour-long lectures after dinner at home. The lectures included religious topics like the Bible and ''[[The Gateless Barrier]]'', as well as secular topics like Kantian philosophy and Marxism during elementary school,<ref name=astley1995p345>{{Harvnb|Astley|1995|p=345}}</ref><ref name=fukui2004p64>{{Harvnb|Fukui|2004|p=64}}</ref> although Okawa was not successful in school.<ref name=astley1995p344 />

Okawa wanted to be a scholar or a diplomat.<ref name=astley1995p345 /> He wanted to spread his ideas in academia, or broaden his view on life by experiencing different cultures as a diplomat.<ref name=fukui2004p63 /> Because of this prospect, he started studying until late at night and became amongst the top of his class. He became particularly good at English.<ref name=fukui2004p64 /> He was obese, weighing 60&nbsp;kg when he was 143&nbsp;cm tall.<ref name=astley1995p345 />

During secondary school, Okawa was an active student. He fished, played tennis, and practiced kendo. He was involved in school activities; he was president of the student union and editor of the school newspaper.<ref name=fukui2004p63 />