KATHMANDU: Kazuhiro Ichikawa, executive director of Happy Science, Japan's largest religious organisation today said that one of the keys to Japan's prosperity was Buddha's spirit and teachings.

"Our country was destroyed completely after the World War II but we gained the same success and prosperity because Japanese people had Buddhist spirit in their mind," Ichikawa said, speaking at the premier of an animated film entitled 'The Rebirth of Buddha' jointly organised here by Lumbini Bouddha University and Happy Science.

“The origin of Buddha's spirit was in Nepal so the credit goes to Nepal," he said. He further said that the film would be premiered in February in order to raise funds for Lumbini Bouddha University.

Speaking on the same occasion, Prof Dr Shankar Thapa, Dean, Lumbini Bouddha University hoped that the film, which became a huge success in Japan, would help all Nepalis to become loving and compassionate.

Prof Thapa, meanwhile, underlined the need for Lumbini Bouddha University to establish linkages with other organisations to develop itself as a model university. "LBU's success and failure depends very much on the success of the country," he said, adding that Happy Science had its activities in 40 countries and was willing to support Lumbini Bouddha University in its academic pursuit.

The film 'Rebirth of Buddha' is based on a book under the same title authored by Ryuho Okawa.