Haruhisa Handa
Haruhisa Handa is a Japanese businessman and philanthropist.[1] He is the Managing Director of B.C. Consulting Ltd and manages more than a dozen companies in Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom.[2]
Handa was born in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture in 1951, to a family with a long tradition of sake brewing. He earned a degree in Economics from Doshisha University. He started his first business aged 26. selling office supplies. He was a wealthy man by his mid-30s.[3]
In 1984, Handa became chairman and spiritual leader of a Shinto-derived new religion called World Mate, reported to have more than 30,000 members.[3]
In October 1994, the Australian Financial Review reported that Handa 'faces two civil law suits over his methods of extracting money in return for claimed healing. And two of his female followers filed a suit against him for sexual harassment, but settled out of court when he paid them $65,000 each.'[4]
The report went on to examine Handa's acquisition of assets in Australia:
- But some of the faithful are wondering what happens to the money they contribute to Powerful Cosmo Mate in the course of their pilgrimage.
- They and the tax office want to know why some of the religion's acquisitions in Australia are held by Mr Handa personally. And some want to know why the high priest of Powerful Cosmo Mate personally holds redeemable preference shares in Cosmomate (Aust) Pty Ltd with a nominal value of $872,908.
- Mr Handa says that all of the Australian assets are being held in their current state until Powerful Cosmo Mate is granted the status of a religion for tax purposes, at which point he plans to transfer all assets to the parent body in Japan.[5]
In November 1994, the Australian Financial Review reported that "Powerful Cosmo Mate has reportedly been referred to prosecutors for failing to declare about $50 million in income and for financing investments in Australia with this money", although Japanese prosecutors refused to confirm the report which originally appeared in the Mainichi Shimbun.[6]
Handa's accountant Michael Gasson said in 2002 that the tax investigation had been dropped “and did not result in any penalties, or additional tax paid through misdemeanour”.[3]
Describing a musical performance by Handa at London's St Johns, Smith Square in 2002, Ian Buruma wrote:
- I found it a slightly humiliating experience to watch this generous buffoon perform with a distinguished orchestra. It made a nonsense of artistic standards. We were watching a rich man's fantasy and had to pretend to enjoy it, just because he throws his money around. This may have done wonders for the blind, but was an insult to those who genuinely love music.[7]
Affiliations
- Worldwide Support for Development - Chairman
- The Handa Foundation - Founder
- International Shinto Foundation - President
UK Companies
- International Shinto Foundation Limited - Director
- Cosmomate (UK) Limited
- St Anselm Heritage Properties Limited
- The Travel Professionals Limited
- World Mate
- The International Foundation for Arts and Culture[8]
External resources
- Sharon Verghis, Haruhisa Handa talks opera and Shinto in rare interview, 25 April 2015.
Notes
- ↑ Japanese arts benefactor likes to get in on the act, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 march 2012.
- ↑ Dr. Haruhisa Handa, The Handa Foundation, accessed 29 April 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sharon Verghis, Haruhisa Handa talks opera and Shinto in rare interview, 25 April 2015.
- ↑ Peter Hartcher, 'Mr Handa Finds God on the Swan and turns profit', Australian Financial Review, 25 October 1994.
- ↑ Peter Hartcher, 'Mr Handa Finds God on the Swan and turns profit', Australian Financial Review, 25 October 1994.
- ↑ Peter Hartcher, $50m tax query on religion holdings: Cosmo Mate, Australian Financial Review, 2 November 1994.
- ↑ Ian Buruma, Personal modesty in east-Asian cultures, The Guardian, 22 January 2002.
- ↑ Haruhisa Handa, Company Check, accessed 29 April 2015.
