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1. Seattle Incident Libel Case
Withdrawn |
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By Jeff Farr
Managing
Editor
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After nine years of litigation, Nichiren
Shoshu on Jan. 31 withdrew its libel case against the
Soka Gakkai over the Seattle Incident. Tokyo High Court
chief judge Kazuo Masui had strongly recommended that
Nichiren Shoshu withdraw the case, and the Soka Gakkai,
based on advice from the judge, decided to accept the
priesthood’s withdrawal.
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. In March
2000, based on the testimonies of the high priest and
Mrs. Hiroe Clow, an SGI-USA 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, eventually
leading to the Jan. 31 withdrawal.
The withdrawal in no way nullifies the March 2000 District
Court decision, as Nichiren Shoshu has been claiming since
Jan. 31. The testimonies of the high priest and Mrs. Clow,
and the subsequent ruling stand as historical fact.
Commenting on the end of the Seattle Incident court 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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(Originally published, World
Tribune, Feb. 22, 2002)
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