Japan Times Weekly

Where was Daisaku Ikeda, Soka Gakkai's boss, when the Diet was looking for him? The Weekly pinned him down in Nepal -- and got an exclusive interview! Our man in Kathmandu also uncovered a gathering by undercover SGI operatives in the Himalayan kingdom.

The Japanese weeklies Shukan Bunshun and Shukan Jitsuwa recently speculated that Daisaku Ikeda, honorary president of Soka Gakkai and chairman of Soka Gakkai International, quietly slipped away from Japan to avoid Diet questioning related to the current attempt to amend the Religious Corporation Law. The Bunshun pointed out that Ikeda dreaded speaking impromptu at public gatherings because of his rather curious accent -- which might reveal clues to his background.

So where did this mystery man disappear to? Knowing that he is elusive as the legendary Yeti, the Abominable Snowman, the Weekly issued an all-points bulletin and launched a hunt in the Himalayas. Ikeda, his entourage and local network of supporters successfully evaded the Nepali and foreign media -- but not the Weekly.

Our intrepid South Asia correspondent, Prakash Khanal, used his Gurkha instincts to track the leader of Japan's chanting 6 million, and tried on several occasions to obtain an interview during the guru's visit Oct. 31-Nov. 5. He finally pinned Ikeda down Nov. 5 inside Kathmandu International Airport.

As the brief interview proceeded, the Soka Gakkai aides were clearly upset. Later that evening, Khanal received a threatening fax from Dr. Akashi Ouchi, a Japanese with Indian nationality, who has lived in India more than 20 years and heads Soka Gakkai International's South Asian operations from his New Delhi office. Ouchi charged that Khanal had breached the law by interrupting Ikeda's privacy and threatened to take action if the reporter refused to show his article to SGI for approval. In a second letter, Ouchi demanded that the reporter turn over the audio taped interview to SGI.

Khanal was also harassed by several Nepali and Japanese SGI cadres over the phone. Khanal spurned the outrageous censorship demands, and reminded the impudent callers that Nepal's Constitution protects press freedom. The Nepali media is incensed with SGI's intimidation tactics and secrecy.

The SGI threats backfired, as Nepali journalists compared their notes on the sect's secret activities.

Nepali journalists heard the name Soka Gakkai for the first time on Nov. 1 when Dr. Kinnosuke Komuro, the president of Soka University, conferred His Majesty King Birendra Bit Bikram Shah Dev with an honorary doctorate. It is difficult to know how the king felt on receiving the degree, but for most Nepalis it was an honor and a surprise. An honor because their king was being honored by an unknown institution. A surprise because SGI had avoided going to the Japanese Embassy and made their public debut at the Royal Palace.

Over the next three days, the SGI officials attended one ceremony after the other, but always were careful to avoid the local press.

In return, Dr. Ikeda received a distinguished person award from Kathmandu municipality, and an honorary Doctor of Letters from Trubhuvan University, becoming the first Japanese to receive this honor. The ceremony, however, seemed to be hastily organized, because Professor Yedu Nath Khanal, a noted Nepali scholar, was still waiting to receive the honor, which had been announced some time ago.

One important Nepali source, who helped SGI gain access to the right power brokers, said, "The only interest of Dr. Ikeda is to pay money to influential people to get such degrees and awards, which he can use in Japan to earn more money and fame." He added that Ikeda is aiming to fulfil his dream of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

A subsequent investigation of SGI activities indicates that the sect has more than 150 members in Nepal, yet no official chapter has been registered with authorities. The covert organization in Nepal was started about 5 or 6 years ago by a Mrs. Sasanawa, of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

On Nov. 4, after staying for more than a month at the five-star Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, 100 Japanese guests met for the first-ever conference of SGI-Nepal. Their privately circulated weekly news bulletin, titled Himalayan Peace, listed 60 persons who occupy prominent positions in SGl-Nepal, which is headed by Keshav Bahadur Shrestha, chief of JICA in Nepal. Other members include Shikije Ashai, a Japanese expert for JICA.

One key member, however, deserves special attention -- Mrs. Kajo Khatiwada, a former worker with the Komeito Party in Japan, who came to Kathmandu after marrying a Nepali. She currently works in the cultural section of the Japanese Embassy.

Ikeda visited the site near the Godawari botanical garden where the sect plans to put their building. The sect also aims to set up 35 health posts in villages in a good will campaign.

Why is Soka Gakkai making such a secretive, concerted drive in this impoverished Himalayan kingdom? Some sources speculate that the important Buddhist archaeological discoveries at Lumbini have attracted the sect's attention not only for their religious value but also because millions of visitors, and their money, will soon come to the historic site. But SGI has not participated in the project and, therefore, has been attempting a takeover of Lumbini by influencing the Nepali government.

In non-religious language, such covert activities are classified as subversion.

Prakash Khanal reporting from Nepal and Yoichi Clark Shimatsu in Tokyo.

Unable to evade any longer the Weekly's South Asian correspondent Prakash Khanal, Daisaku Ikeda relented at Kathmandu Airport and pointed to a chair, saying, "You are most important, so I will talk to you." The following are excerpts from the discussion.

Ikeda: I would like to say Nepal is a country similar to Japan. The first thing we share is the beautiful mountains. The second similarity is the physical appearance of the Nepali and Japanese people in terms of height, racial expression and their build. Nepali people can be mistaken for Japanese, and Japanese for Nepalis. This shows how close we are.

I would like to stress and emphasize that more and more Japanese will visit Nepal in the near future, because there will be a direct flight by Japan Airlines. So I think there is more ground to be paved between our two countries.

Ikeda: No, no, no. We are just like uncles and aunts, and our organization (in Nepal) is very small.

Ikeda: We were invited by Tribhuvan University. TU had organized the convocation ceremony, and I was also invited to deliver a keynote address, so I had to come at this time."

Ikeda: In Japan, the situation is chaotic and confusing. I think that people are jealous, because we are the greatest organization in Japan.

Ikeda: In my opinion, political parties and politicians with evil intentions have paid them to make that sort of program.

Khanal: Thank you, Dr. Ikeda, and have a pleasant journey back to Japan.

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