Tokyo Supreme Court Dismissed the Final Appeal of Asaki

The Justice Chronicle, provided by Soka Gakkai International-USA, is a free monthly e-mail in support of the Soka Spirit movement. Soka Spirit is the SGI's educational effort to create value and deepen our understanding of Nichiren Buddhism through increased awareness of issues surrounding the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and the spiritual foundation of the SGI movement.

1) NEWS: SUPREME COURT DISMISSES FINAL ASAKI, KODANSHA APPEAL

On Oct. 29, the Tokyo Supreme Court dismissed the final appeal filed by Masahiko Motoki, former chief editor of weekly tabloid Shukan Gendai, its publisher Kodansha and Daito and Naoko Asaki, the husband and daughter of Akiyo Asaki, the late Higashi-Murayama City assemblywoman.

Japan's highest court ruled that Kodansha, Motoki and the Asakis were guilty of libelous defamation. It upheld lower court decisions ordering the four to pay punitive damages to the Soka Gakkai for a Shukan Gendai article that alleged the organization was involved in the death of Akiyo Asaki in 1995. The court also ordered Kodansha to publish a retraction.

Assemblywoman Asaki fell to her death in July 1995, and subsequent police and public prosecutor's office reports concluded that it was a suicide. Shukan Gendai published an article, based solely on interviews with the surviving Asakis, in its Sept. 23, 1995, issue that openly suggested the Soka Gakkai was responsible.

The Soka Gakkai filed a libel suit in October 1995. With the Supreme Court decision, no further litigation over the matter may be pursued.

2) LET'S STRIVE TO FULFILL OUR ORIGINAL VOW

This is an excerpt from a speech by SGI President Ikeda, given at a conference for representatives of the Kansai Region, held in Osaka, Japan, Jan. 24, 1994. It originally appeared in the March 21,
1994, issue of the World Tribune.

A CENTURY OF THE VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE

Nichiren Daishonin says, Now in this latter, evil age, great evil arises less from secular wrongdoing than in connection with the doctrines of the religious world (The Writings of Nichiren
Daishonin, p. 1121).

The Daishonin here indicates that, in the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law, great evil that opposes the True Law and blocks the way to attaining Buddhahood, and that brings on the greatest of calamities for people and society, will appear not from outside but from within Buddhism.

Just as the [Medicine King chapter of the Lotus] sutra predicts, the evil devils [and] the devils' people who obstruct kosen-rufu have appeared as the clique of the Law-destroying high priest, Nikken. They are the one essential evil that is the source of all calamities and troubles. The practice to realize the principle of securing the peace of the land through the propagation of Buddhism throughout the world lies in thoroughly attacking and stamping out this one essential evil. Through such efforts, we simultaneously eradicate the causes for unhappiness that exist in our own lives.

The American poet Walt Whitman writes: Allons [Let us go]! with power, liberty, the earth, the elements, / Health, defiance, gayety, self-esteem, curiosity; / Allons! from all formules [formulas]! / From your formules, O bat-eyed and materialistic priests.

Let us set out with bounding vigor toward a century of the victory of the people.

The present priesthood has betrayed Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin and become utterly dominated by authoritarianism and formalism, discrimination and restrictions, scheming and exploitation, greed and jealousy, dissipation and luxury, lack of faith and appreciation and erroneous teachings and disgraceful conduct. The SGI has parted company once and for all with the erroneous Nichiren Shoshu.

Let us continue to advance freely and confidently ever further along the path of justice, the path of happiness and peace and the path of good fortune and joy.

This concludes this series.