Passing of Daisaku Ikeda: Prominent figure and leader of Japan's Soka Gakkai Buddhist organization passes away

Former leader of the influential Buddhist group Soka Gakkai, Daisaku Ikeda, has passed away at the age of 95. Ikeda was known for expanding the organization's international following and establishing connections with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan. The announcement of his death due to natural causes was made on Soka Gakkai's website. With approximately 12 million members worldwide, the lay Buddhist group is famous for its association with various celebrities, including Orlando Bloom, Herbie Hancock, and Roberto Baggio. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised Ikeda's efforts in promoting peace, culture, and education both in Japan and abroad. In 1960, Ikeda became the president of Soka Gakkai and later founded Soka Gakkai International in 1975 to further expand the organization globally. Throughout the years, he met with world leaders such as China's then-premier Zhou Enlai and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Soka Gakkai International expressed that under Ikeda's leadership, the movement embarked on a period of innovation and expansion, actively engaging in cultural and educational initiatives across the globe. Soka Gakkai practices Nichiren Buddhism, which emphasizes individual empowerment and inner transformation. The organization believes in the conviction that individuals possess the ability to overcome any problem or difficulty with the practice of chanting the "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" Sutra. In 1964, Ikeda established the Komeito political party, currently serving as the junior partner of the LDP in the ruling coalition with 32 seats in the lower house of the Japanese Diet.