In Memory of Yasushi Sakai

Seonghwa

Feb 13

Written By Youth and Young Adult Ministry

Yasushi Philip Sakai

Spouse: Kyoko Sakai
Children: Michinari (Chiharu)
Birthdate: November 16, 1948
Ascension: February 8, 2023
Seonghwa Ceremony: February 13, 2023

Yasushi Philip Sakai (堺安司) was born in Sougawa, Miyama Village in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan in 1948. While attending College near his hometown—in the backdrop of an immense wave of Communist influence spreading across Japan and the world—he recognized the danger of the Communist ideology. He began searching for answers, which eventually lead him to the Movement in 1969. In 1972, Rev. Sakai came to the United States as a missionary to support the success of a series of speaking tours by our True Father, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

Once Rev. Sakai was introduced to the Divine Principle, he spent his life studying, witnessing, and teaching about its saving grace. For decades, he taught for the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP) and Family Federation (FFWPU) on campuses in Japan, New York, California, and Hawaii. His impact is felt by very many.

The last 30 years of his life was spent in Hawaii, with the majority of his public service devoted to witnessing and the education of members and youth. He did extensive research about Jesus Christ in the Bible and the Spirit World. He had a passionate love for Jesus and said that understanding Jesus’ life and heart was the key to correctly understanding the second coming and True Parents. Rev. Sakai taught that Jesus’ personal life can be summarized by Matthew 8:20, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” He also taught that although Jesus’ physical life was 33 years, in actuality, Jesus’ victorious life on Earth spanned only the final few minutes at the cross, where Jesus said, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” (Matthew 27:46), and forgave His persecutors with the words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). There Jesus won his sole faithful disciple, the thief on the right who gave his heart to Jesus saying, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). And Jesus replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:34). This was Jesus’ victory.

Rev. Sakai always talked about the importance of studying page 175 (page 271 in the Japanese version) of the Divine Principle, “Introduction to Restoration”, and stressed that this single page contained the essence to understanding God’s entire Providence of Restoration. He also emphasized the importance of experiencing the Blessing of True Parents and proving to ourselves that our original sin is eradicated through it by receiving Christ’s Holy Spirit in fullness at the top of the growth stage.

Through these teachings, Rev. Sakai educated and witnessed to the people around him and his son, nurturing them to love Jesus more deeply, receive the Holy Spirit, and eventually receive True Parents’ Blessing.

Yasushi Sakai is survived by his spouse Kyoko Sakai; his son’s couple, Michinari and Chiharu Sakai; and his grandchildren, Kariana and Liberty Sakai.