Ikeda, the Soka Gakkai/SGI, and Core Elements of Fascism

I ran across this list - see what YOU think:

Dictatorial leader: Power is concentrated in a single, autocratic leader, often seen as "infallible," around whom a cult of personality is built. Incapable of self-deprecating humor.

If you want to have some fun with one of the gakker bots, ask them to tell you about when Ikeda ever made a mistake. Keep asking.

Scapegoating: Fascism identifies enemies or scapegoats—such as immigrants, minorities, or political opponents—to justify their actions and unify the right-wing regime.

Notice how, in the wake of his ignominious excommunication, Ikeda declared that the Nichiren Shoshu temple and especially its High Priest Nikken Abe were the greatest dangers to all humanity? Just forget about terrorists, wars, land grabs, invasions, pollution, inequality, and everything else. No, just that one obscure High Priest of some obscure Nichiren temple nobody'd ever heard of. GREAT strategy, "Sensei"!

All because Ikeda felt insulted and could never get over that grudge.

Militarism and violence: The military is glorified, and violence is accepted and even celebrated as a means to advance national interests. See J6. Fascist movements often use paramilitary groups to intimidate opponents.

At its inception in the wake of Japan's defeat in WWII/the Pacific War, Toda deliberately organized his Soka Gakkai along militaristic lines, seeking to capitalize on the chaos of that time and the Japanese people's longing for the familiar structure and discipline of the war. Many Japanese at that point described the war years as "the best of their lives".

Even today, notice the militaristic terminology used by SGI: "campaigns", "fight", "fighting fortress", the siege mentality, and the self-enforced conformity of "itai doshin" (or "many in body, single mind"), "battles", the imperial-conquest mentality behind "shakubuku" (while the membership was still naive and delusional enough to believe that Soka Gakkai-ism was going to take over the world and dominate governments as #1 religion), and "great victory" - only a little incongruous for a self-claimed "peace organization", don't you think?

Soka Gakkai seems to have its members organized like a quasi-military operation. I just don't see why this is necessary. It makes me wonder what their motivations ultimately are. Source

Suppression of opposition: All dissent is forcibly suppressed through coercion and repression. Fascist regimes typically control mass media and eliminate democratic processes and individual rights. Vengeance is sought. Retribution is sought. Fascist regimes "punish" the opposition financially, politically, and physically.

This has been particularly notable in Japan, where Ikeda thought he had gained enough power to take such actions with impunity (see the "publishing scandal" in which Ikeda tried to stamp out free speech and freedom of expression in the media). Even today, most news organizations in Japan are afraid to print anything critical of Soka Gakkai or Ikeda.

See also Soka Gakkai loses its own frivolous lawsuit🤣

The Soka Gakkai's American colony, SGI-USA, is so tiny and weak that I don't think they'll dare risk any unfavorable press.

Extreme nationalism: It promotes a sense of national decline, humiliation, or victimhood and promises national rebirth or renewal. This involves exalting the nation—and often a specific race—over the individual.

Well, that's been the impact of Nichirenism, historically: Fascism inevitable with Nichiren

Nichirenism: A Japanese religion for Japanese people

Nichiren → Japanese nationalism

The Soka Gakkai, especially when it was growing in its early years, was variously described as "nationalist", even "ultra-nationalist".

Ikeda and his SGI/Komeito organizations exhibit classic characteristics of Fascism.

From National Intelligence Report on Soka Gakkai from 1970:

there also is an element of religious fanaticism in Komeito's appeal, the suggestion of a Japanese mission to save the world from the two "extremes" of Christianity and Marxism, which reminds some critics of the rightist nationalism of the prewar period.

Komeito, too, faces serious obstacles. Its militancy, religious fanaticism, and lower-class image, as well as the charges against it of ultranationalism, limit its appeal in Japan's secular, status-conscious society. As the party tries to distance itself from religion and deal more specifically with concrete issues, it risks losing the fervor and unity it has thus far enjoyed.

Alliance with elites: Despite populist appeals, fascist regimes often align with powerful business interests and traditional elites to consolidate power.

Ikeda gained the reputation of being a "lounge leech":

Ikeda wants to pass himself off as a peace activist. But there is no risk of seeing him in a country at war. No, what he likes are embassy lounges, where he can successfully repeat phrases like "Let us therefore let the new sun enter our hearts day after day". He is a megalomaniac who spends his time having his picture taken shaking hands with celebrities, each shot being reproduced in the magazine of the Soka Gakkai International... Which has nothing to envy the greatest hours of Stalinism: on every page, Ikeda from every angle shaking hands. He managed to seduce people like Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev (some of whose trips he paid for), the footballer Roberto Baggio, Yehudi Menuhin, Danielle Mitterrand and her France-Libertés Foundation, which received money from the sect, and even André Malraux, whose photo is still plastered today as an ad for Soka in the Japanese subway. Effective in his way, Ikeda. He has collected 250 honorary citizenship titles around the world. His lobbying is particularly active at the UN, which granted consultative status to the sect, and, in 1983, the Peace Medal to its guru. - from here

Also: Ikeda's odd fascination with dictators, Communists, and other dodgy company

Ikeda is a controversial figure. Mainly known as a collector of international awards, titles and medals. --Seibun (talk) 12:42, 24 December 2011 (UTC) Source

[Ikeda] banged on the table and proudly proclaimed, "I am the only person in the world to have received so many medals!!" Source