Hello my dear Facebook friends again. Today (April 20) is an - TopicsExpress

Hello my dear Facebook friends again. Today (April 20) is an important day in SGI history; it marks the 63rd anniversary of the publication of the Soka Gakkais newspaper, The Seikyo Shimbun. Here is my essay on this topic. I hope you enjoy it. This Month in SGI History – April 20, 1951 – Seikyo Shimbun Publishes First Issue By Chuck The date was August 24, 1950 and the place was Tokyo Japan. Daisaku Ikeda was an employee of Josei Toda’s publishing company and the company was undergoing severe difficulties. Many of the employees had quit, and some had angrily denounced Toda as well. That day, Josei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda met with a reporter to clarify the situation of Toda’s business and to ensure that he reported their situation accurately. Later on, as they were walking along the streets of Tokyo, Toda turned to Daisaku and said: “Japan now enjoys freedom of speech. Having one’s own newspaper is an incredible asset and source of strength. The Soka Gakkai will also need its own newspaper some day. Daisaku, please put your mind to work on this for the future.” (December 13, 2002 World Tribune, pg. 6, The Direct Connection – An Essay by SGI President Ikeda, published in “Thoughts on the New Human Revolution series from Aug. 25 and 29, 2002 issues of The Seikyo Shimbun) Then, on a cold night in February 1951, Toda again turned to Ikeda and said: “Let’s get started on the newspaper now. I’ll be the president, and you can be the vice president. Let’s give this our all!” I will never forget his brave countenance as he asked me to accept this new challenge. (World Tribune, July 3, 1998 – “Newspapers Shape the Age”, by Daisaku Ikeda, pg. 1) After much thought, Toda and Ikeda decided on the name, Seikyo Shimbun (Sacred Teachings Newspaper). The first issue was published on April 20, 1951 and consisted of single sheet of newsprint, printed on both sides. It was published every ten days and had an initial circulation of 5,000 copies. By 2001, the Seikyo Shimbun had become a daily newspaper with a circulation of 5.5 million. Toda and Ikeda put tremendous effort into writing for the new Soka Gakkai newspaper. President Ikeda remembers… I still fondly remember his strict criticism of my writing: This will not move people! Your point is unclear! He often used to pass me an installment of The Human Revolution that was only half-finished and…say to me: “You write the rest. And if you see anything you’d like to change in what I’ve already written, go right ahead and do it.” It was an arduous challenge to say the least, and where my real training started. Upon reflection, how grateful I am for my mentor’s lessons. (February 20, 1998 World Tribune, “The Art of Writing – SGI President Ikeda’s Essay” pg. 13 from Thoughts on the New Human Revolution published in the Seikyo Shimbun) The first SGI publications were, or course letters from Nichiren Daishonin to his disciples. Today, many SGI organizations have their own publications, but they all started with Josei Toda’s and Daisaku Ikeda’s great determination to have a Soka Gakkai newspaper who’s… “...mission—and…pride [is] to be a newspaper that is constantly on the side of the ordinary citizen, opening the path for each individual to explore his or her limitless potential.” (Arts and Education, The Seikyo Press, 50th Anniversary of Seikyo Times, by Einosuke Akiya, president of the Soka Gakkai)