Lay Buddhist Group Soka Gakkai Leader Daisaku Ikeda Dies
Tokyo, Nov. 18 (Jiji Press)--Daisaku Ikeda, honorary president of lay Buddhist group Soka Gakkai and the founder of Komeito, the coalition partner of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, died of old age at a group facility in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on Wednesday, the group said Saturday. He was 95.
The death of the longtime leader of the giant religious organization is likely to affect not only the group's activities but also the management of Komeito, pundits said.
Born in Tokyo's Ota Ward in 1928, Ikeda joined Soka Gakkai at the age of 19 and demonstrated his ability in supporting the group's operations under the late Josei Toda, the group's second president. Ikeda became the third president of Soka Gakkai in 1960 at the age of 32.
After becoming president, he made efforts to expand the organization both in Japan and abroad, contributing to increasing the number of domestic member households from 750,000 to 8.27 million.
In 1975, he established Soka Gakkai International (SGI), which now has members in 192 countries and regions.
In 1964, Ikeda formed Komeito by spinning off Soka Gakkai's political league. In the 1967 election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, Komeito won 25 seats.
In 1969, however, the group and Komeito came under fire for allegedly seeking support from senior LDP officials and book wholesalers to suspend the publication, distribution and sales of a book critical of the group and the party.
Following the incident, Ikeda declared the separation of religion and politics.
Even after stepping down as Soka Gakkai president to become honorary president in 1979, Ikeda maintained his power in the group, visiting many countries as president of SGI.
In May 2008, Ikeda held talks with then Chinese President Hu Jintao, who visited Japan.
After attending a Soka Gakkai event in May 2010, Ikeda was not seen in public.
"He left a great mark in history by making efforts to promote peace, culture and education at home and abroad," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said of Ikeda in a post on the X platform after his death.
Incumbent Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada, 82, said in a video posted on the group's website that he was very surprised by the news of the sudden death of Ikeda and that he cannot suppress his deep sorrow.
Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi said, "I would like to express my deep gratitude (to Ikeda) for consistently watching over us as the founder of Komeito." He pledged to continue to uphold the spirit of the party of pursing being close to the members of the public, which Ikeda advocated when he founded Komeito.
