Japan Focus – Statement

I, Genin (Hiroshi Horiike), hereby announce the following to correct the insults, slander, and defamation of my character by NHK Party leader Takashi Tachibana and Secretary General Atsuhiko Kurokawa, who have publicly incited the people against me.

Genlin’s Mission

“Knowledge changes lives” was the motto of my late father, Peng Xingchao. To realize his noble philosophy, I established the Peng Xingchao Foundation and the Genlin Foundation in 1995 and started philanthropic activities to donate educational facilities, gymnasiums, and libraries in disadvantaged communities. Also, I have established scholarship programs such as the “Future Excellence Award” and the “Overseas Exchange Award” to recognize outstanding teachers and students, and to foster excellence in the arts, sports, foreign languages, and other fields.

To date, the Foundation’s philanthropic projects have helped thousands of students, sponsored hundreds of students with excellent grades to enter university, and opened the door to a future for talented students from disadvantaged circumstances.

In recent years, I have expanded my philanthropy activities include animal protection, and in 2014 I founded the World Dog Alliance to promote “explicit legislation against the dogs and cat meat” around the world. The head office in Hong Kong and registered as a charitable organization in Japan, the United States, and Europe, the World Dog Alliance have achieved great result around the world.

2017 April,11 : Taiwan :Dog and Cat meat ban (Animal welfare Act amendment)

2018 Dec.,12 : U.S.A. : Dog and Cat meat ban (Farm Bill)

2020 Mar., 31: Shenzhen, China: Dog and Cat meat ban (Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Ordinance)

In addition to promoting the banning of dogs and cats meat, we also donate to veterinary clinics and present Golden Dog Awards and prizes to dedicated animal welfare activists.

When I learned of the current situation of dog meat consumption in Japan, I decided to start political activities in Japan and actively lobbied Diet members to promote the establishment of the “Congressional League for Animal Welfare. Furthermore, I established my own political organization, the “Dog and Cat Party,” with the aim of banning the dogs and cats meat in Japan and bringing the “International Agreement to Prohibit the Eating of Dogs and Cats” into effect, which would be a global trend.

As a Japanese born in China, I have long been involved in philanthropic activities and have been highly regarded internationally, including by politicians in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden, and I am proud to be Japanese. Having returned to Japan to defend the rights of dogs and cats, and having received support from Japanese politicians, I am surprised, saddened, and outraged that I am being personally slandered and defamed.

As a Japanese born in China, I have long been involved in philanthropic activities and have been highly regarded internationally, including by politicians in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden, and I am proud to be Japanese. Having returned to Japan to defend the rights of dogs and cats, and having received support from Japanese politicians, I am surprised, saddened, and outraged that I am being personally slandered and defamed.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your concern and to reiterate my solid will to protect dogs and cats, which are vulnerable animals that are unable to express their own opinions.

Genlin’s Assets

I worked for six years in the industrial machinery division of Nissho Iwai Corporation, a major Japanese trading company, at its Tokyo head office, where I learned not only business but also the seriousness and responsibility of the Japanese people.

After leaving Nissho Iwai, I became one of the founders of GREE (Gree Electric Appliances), the world’s largest air conditioning manufacturer, and Chairman of GREE International. With my experience in Japanese trading companies, I have established a global sales network and channels to promote Gree’s products worldwide. The financial report for 2020 shows sales of 3 trillion yen and net income of 400 billion yen (13%).

In 2006 I announced my retirement and decided to devote myself to philanthropy. All of the charities I have established are funded by the wealth I accumulated in my youth, and I have not raised a penny of outside funding. I also made a commitment to society to spend 90% of our personal assets on charitable causes.

I have a deep feeling of affinity for Japan, where I was able to change my life and realize the “Japanese Dream”. That is why I hope to further enhance Japan’s international image through the “International Agreement to Prohibit the Eating of Dogs and Cats” and make Japan a civilized country that the rest of the world can admire.

Reiwa Shinsengumi

The World Dog Alliance launched a legislative campaign in Japan in 2018, working with former member of the House of Councillors, Kusuo Oshima to promote ” Explicit law banning the eating of dogs and cats.” Mr. Oshima succeeded in getting the Diet to focus on the issue of dog and cat meat for human consumption, and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada gave positive answers to related questions.

Unfortunately, Mr. Oshima was defeated in the 2019 House of Councillors election, and the World Dog Alliance lost a key supporter in the Japanese Diet.

I had never intended to enter politics and had been quietly involved in philanthropic activities, but after Mr. Oshima’s unfortunate defeat, I felt that someone had to continue advocating for a ban on dog and cat meat in the Japanese Diet. Leaving my long years of retirement to pursue political activities in Japan brings many issues concerning personal privacy, but after much conflict I willingly decided to embark on my own political activities in order to realize my philosophy of ” Change human society and save dogs and cats”.

In 2019, Mr. Kyushuo Oshima introduced me to Mr. Taro Yamamoto, the leader of Reiwa Shinsengumi. Reiwa Shinsengumi nominates two severely physically challenged people to be members of Congress and I was deeply impressed by the idea of Taro Yamamoto, the leader of the party. I am also involved in charitable activities for the physically challenged. For the past eight years, I have worked with former Taiwanese legislator  Yang Yu-xing to help the physically challenged become more self-reliant and independent.

From my experience of studying business in Japan, I have always wanted to give back to Japan in any way I can. The voices of both the physically challenged and dogs and cats are difficult to reach in society, and their unfortunate position in society makes them the focus of my philanthropic activities.

On December 5, 2019, I met with Mr. Taro Yamamoto and Mr. Kusuo Oshima in Tokyo to discuss cooperation in caring for these disadvantaged people. I proposed that we establish a fund dedicated to supporting the physically challenged people with my personal investment of 500 million yen, and support the physically challenged people through this fund in cooperation with the Reiwa Shinsengumi.

At the time, Mr. Taro Yamamoto praised the proposal and we agreed verbally. Unfortunately, a week later, Mr. Kusuo Oshima came to deny the agreement, without giving specific reasons.

NHK Party

I have never met directly with Party Leader Takashi Tachibana or Secretary General Atsuhiko Kurokawa, our Executive Director Konno has met with Party Leader Tachibana on three occasions.

Since the NHK Party has a successful track record of winning and becoming a national political party, the purpose of the meeting with party leader Tachibana was to get his opinion on Genlin’s participation in politics, and we have never applied for official recognition, as claimed by him.

Executive Director Konno introduced the World Dog Alliance and explained that Genlin’s purpose in running for election is to save dogs and cats. He repeatedly emphasized that all political activities must be based on ” legitimate”.

Party leader Tachibana even said that it is too late for Genlin to run for the House of Councillors election this year, but if Genlin will run for the next House of Representatives election, Mr.Tachibana himself would personally take over the produce of the Dog and Cat Party election by investing 1 billion yen or more of Genlin’s money.

After discussion with the Reiwa Shinsengumi broke down, the Dogs and Cats Party sought cooperation with other parties, including the NHK Party. The prerequisites for cooperation are:

1. “Legitimate”

2. Combine and Rename “NHK Dogs and Cat Party”

3. NHK party lost the lower house election by a margin of 400,000 votes, and from the viewpoint that it would be difficult to win in the House of Councillors election. So when discussing the specific quota, we took into consideration the position that the party leader Tachibana, who said he has ample funds, would provide funds to expand the party after he is elected. These proposals were rejected by party leader Tachibana.

Executive Director Konno reported that during his meeting with Party Leader Tachibana, he told him about the discussions with the Reiwa Shinsengumi but stressed that they were “confidential” and asked him not to disclose the information, and the Party leader Tachibana nodded his head.

On the third meeting, Representative Watanabe and Executive Director Konno visited Mr. Tachibana for consultation. The party leader Tachibana made an outrageous demand that if we pay 10 billion yen, he would officially approve. There was also power harassment in which my representatives were strongly reprimanded, saying that it was disrespectful that it was not myself who came to consult with him.

We reserve the right to take legal action against insulting statements, slander, defamation and obstruction of business based on speculation without facts that openly inflame the public.

This statement was sent by specified mail on July 20 to the NHK Party head office and to the office of Mr. Satoshi Hamada, Member of the Diet addressed to NHK party leader Tachibana.

Genlin (Hiroshi Horiike)

Founder, World Dog Alliance

July 20, 2022