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May 10, 2002
Seattle Incident Libel Case
Withdrawn
By Jeff Farr
Managing Editor
On Jan. 31, after nine years of litigation, Nichiren Shoshu
withdrew its libel case against the Soka Gakkai over coverage
of the Seattle Incident. Tokyo High Court chief judge
Kazuo Masui had strongly recommended that Nichiren Shoshu
withdraw, and the Soka Gakkai, based on advice from the
judge, decided to accept the priesthood?s decision.
In 1993, Nichiren Shoshu sued the Soka Gakkai over coverage
in Soka Gakkai publications of High Priest Nikken Abe?s
altercation with prostitutes in Seattle in 1963. The Soka
Gakkai?s purpose in sharing the incident was to reveal
the high priest?s true character, as the priesthood was
proclaiming him to be “the Daishonin of modern times.”
In March 2000, based on the testimony of the high priest
and Mrs. Hiroe Clow, an SGIUSA member who was called by
Seattle police to the incident site, the Tokyo District
Court ruled the incident had occurred as reported. Nichiren
Shoshu then appealed the decision to the High Court, which
led to the Jan. 31 withdrawal.
The withdrawal in no way nullifies the March 2000 District
Court decision, as Nichiren Shoshu has been arguing since
Jan. 31. The testimonies of the high priest and Mrs. Clow,
as well as the subsequent ruling, stand as historical
fact.
Commenting on the end of the Seattle Incident proceedings,
SGI Deputy President Einosuke Akiya said: “From
here on, we can be free to expand our dialogue for the
sake of kosen-rufu on a loftier, broader dimension. At
the same time, the high priest?s actions to destroy Buddhism
have been continuing unabated until this day. Therefore,
we must not slacken in the least in our just struggle.”
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