President Oiwa

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Harada Taro
Alias(es)	President Oiwa; Ooiwa Satoru
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Lucky Mutual Aid Society
Occupation/Role	President and public face of the Lucky Mutual Aid Society; psychic
First Appearance	Chapter 11

Background

Harada Taro was involved in a near-fatal car accident while studying around thirty years before the Lucky Mutual Aid Society incident. The experience awakened his clairvoyant eyes, leaving him able to perceive ghosts and residual souls. Frightened by this altered reality and vulnerable to spirits that approached him, he withdrew from society and became a shut-in for three decades. His parents supported him until their deaths; he was also repeatedly sent to psychiatric care because others misunderstood his behavior. 22 31 35

Matsui Ryoji later recruited Harada into the Lucky Mutual Aid Society, using his psychic ability and credibility to turn him into its stage-facing president. Under the false identity “Ooiwa Satoru,” Harada was presented as the society’s founder, a business elite, and a numerology expert. The admiration of members, Matsui’s guidance, and the organization’s resources enabled him to resume going out in public. 22 23

Appearance

On stage, President Oiwa presents himself as a prosperous, authoritative elder. Away from the society, Harada dresses and behaves like an ordinary middle-aged izakaya patron. 11 22

• Gray hair slicked back and a suit during society gatherings. 11
• Carries himself with the presence of a successful businessman or government minister, though with a genial rather than arrogant demeanor. 11
• Offstage, wears a brown bucket hat, frameless glasses, and a dark vest. 22

Personality

As President Oiwa, Harada is charismatic, theatrical, and adept at creating warmth among the society’s members. He calls them a family, praises their successes as collective achievements, and personally shakes hands with followers who believe he can grant good fortune. 11 12

Behind the persona, Harada is fearful of ghosts and initially dependent on Matsui’s control of the organization. He is also self-serving: despite his sympathy-inducing past, he accepts the profits and status gained from deceiving members. 22 23

After receiving protection from the Law Ruler, Harada’s fear gives way to renewed ambition. He seeks to overthrow Matsui and become the true power behind the society, but becomes desperate when the little ghosts turn on him. 31 36 37

Abilities & Skills

Clairvoyant Eyes

Harada can see ghosts, residual souls, and the spiritual connections involved in the society’s Kuman Thong rituals. His sensitivity also causes spirits to approach him, making ordinary outings frightening and physically distressing. 22 30 31

• Can perceive a smoke-like fetus spirit and its connection to the ritual incense burner. 13 14
• Can help operate and suppress the society’s little ghosts, a role Matsui cannot safely perform alone. 23 24
• Is vulnerable to spiritual contact; even a residual soul can make his soul tremble and leave him deeply uncomfortable. 30

Lucky Rituals

As the society’s president, Harada conducts rituals that allegedly bind a recipient’s fate to his own and allow him to foresee and warn them of fortune or misfortune. These ceremonies actually rely on Kuman Thong-linked child spirits and black pendants. 13 16 17

• Leads ceremonies in which a recipient is told to wear a “lucky pendant.” 13
• Uses an incense burner to maintain a visible spiritual link to a summoned little ghost. 13 14
• Publicly attributes the rituals’ effects to destiny and Lady Luck. 12 13
• Cannot fully control the organization’s supernatural system without Matsui’s operational support, while Matsui in turn relies on Harada’s psychic ability. 22 24

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Law Ruler — A Taoist ritual implement given to Harada by Qian Xiaoyi. It heats up and drives away a residual soul that attaches to him, proving capable of restraining ghosts. 30 31
• Ritual incense burner — Used during the Lucky Mutual Aid Society’s ceremonies to maintain a connection with a summoned little ghost. 13 14
• Lucky pendants — Black Kuman Thong-linked pendants given to ritual participants; the society’s necklaces house child spirits. 13 16 37

Relationships

• Matsui Ryoji — Collaborator and power rival. Matsui recruited Harada and used him as the society’s psychic public face, but their partnership deteriorated as Harada sought control. 22 23 31
• Qian Xiaoyi — Drinking companion and investigator. Qian befriends Harada under a false identity, gives him the Law Ruler, and indirectly encourages his challenge to Matsui. 23 30 31
• Inuyama Heita — Fellow psychic whom Matsui views as Harada’s potential replacement. Heita ultimately saves Harada from the attacking little ghosts with Harada’s broken Law Ruler. 36 39
• Lucky Mutual Aid Society members — Followers who idolize Harada as President Oiwa and forgive his false identity after his confession. 11 34
• Kuroda Nobunaga — Grateful member whose recovery from homelessness and family separation is publicly celebrated by Harada. 12 37

Story Role / Major Arcs

Lucky Mutual Aid Society gatherings

President Oiwa debuts as the society’s revered leader, energizing members with speeches, handshakes, and promises of good fortune. He promotes the group as a family for people “forgotten by God” and oversees testimonials from members whose lives have improved. 11 12

During Suzuki’s ritual, the summoned fetus spirit unexpectedly leaves its intended target. Harada panics when he loses his spiritual connection to it, then covers the incident with an improvised reflection exercise while searching the venue. 13 14

Alliance and conflict with Matsui

Qian Xiaoyi’s investigation reveals that President Oiwa is Harada Taro, a long-term shut-in and psychic recruited by Matsui. Although Matsui dominates their collaboration, Harada privately resents his position and wishes to take control. 22 23

Qian gives Harada the Law Ruler before apparently leaving Tokyo. When the item repels a residual soul, Harada realizes he can confront ghosts without the same fear and begins recruiting senior members to challenge Matsui. 30 31

Power struggle and exposure

At a major gathering, Harada publicly accuses Matsui of embezzling member donations. Matsui counters by exposing Harada’s real identity, fabricated credentials, and history of psychiatric treatment. Harada admits that he is Harada Taro and successfully retains the crowd’s sympathy by framing his past as the cost of awakening his talent. 33 34 35

When Matsui moves to discard him, the little ghosts Harada had helped suppress attack him. Harada exposes the society’s rituals and necklaces as fraudulent and spirit-based in an effort to save himself, but the members initially dismiss him as unstable. 36 37

Harada is cornered by the spirits until Inuyama Heita rescues him with the broken Law Ruler. Police then raid the society hall, arrest its leaders, and call an ambulance for Harada. 38 39