2016 / Moral movement in Japan’s business circle expanding into the U.S.
From Los Angeles and Japan, over 80 members of the Rinri Hojinkai gather to celebrate the official formation of the Southern California Rinri Hojinkai at Holyday Inn Torrance. (Courtesy of the Rinri Hojinkai)
Attracting near 70,000 business owners in Japan to its weekly morning seminars for encouraging participants to have positive thinking and good behavior practice, Japan’s Rinri Hojinkai (The RINRI Corporate Membership Organization) is expanding its memberships to Los Angeles.
As the 682nd branch, the Southern California Rinri Hojinkai officially introduced itself at Saturday afternoon of Nov. 12 at the Holiday Inn Torrance. Near 200 people including 55 members from Japan and Mr. Toshiaki Maruyama, Chairman of the RINRI Institute of Ethics in Tokyo, celebrated the official formation of the Southern California chapter.
The “Rinri” movement started on Sept. 3, 1945 soon after Japan’s defeat in the World War II. The founder Toshio Maruyama started writing his monograph “The Way of Marriage” under the spirit of patriotism. He had realized the need for the nation’s moral reformation, and eventually his movement became the RINRI Institute of Ethics.
In the 1960s, the institute established its individual membership system, while the training center in the highlands of Mt. Fuji was also completed. In 1980, the institute launched the system for corporate membership.
In the U.S., the Rinri Business Network was formed in Los Angeles in 2014, and the network became the Southern California Rinri Hojinkai in April 2016. The Southern California chapter follows the same practices of Japan’s Rinri such as “Morning Seminar” every week and “Rinri Management Seminar” every month. The Southern California memberships grew to 50 in November from 10 in April.
Mr. Takashi Iida, owner of an insurance company, is a driving force of the formation of the Southern California Rinri Hojinkai, and he became the first president of the chapter.
In the celebratory event. Iida announced that four local branches of San Diego, Orange County, Hollywood/Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles were formed under the Southern California chapter, and set the goal of expanding the membership in the U.S. to 10,000 companies.
Among local members, Mr. Hidejiro Matsu, former president of Marukai Corporation and current president of the Seiwa Market, confessed that he could not find happiness in his business 20 years ago and spoke of his finding of moral practices in business that leading him to start the Seiwa Market in Houston and Los Angeles last year after Marukai Corporation was merged with a big Japanese corporation three years ago. Matsu was designated as an executive advisor to the chapter.
The keynote speech “Foundations for the Prosperity” was given by Mr. Toshiaki Maruyama, chairman of the RINRI Institute of Ethics in Tokyo. The institute defines “Rinri” as immutable laws that governing relationships in a group of people, between people and properties, and between people and environments. The institute aims to use “Rinri” to become better people, families, and societies in the world.
“Morning Seminar” is held every Wednesday from 7:00 am – 8:00 am at New Gardena Hotel, 1641 West Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247. For more information, contact Mr. Takashi Iida at (714) 717-6209 or email: Rinri4U@gmail.com
