Soka Gakkai feels dissent on dispatch

Their political party may have supported the move, but some members of the lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai are trying to halt the government's dispatch of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel to Iraq.

Last week, ruling coalition partner New Komeito, the political arm of Soka Gakkai, approved sending an advance team of Ground SDF personnel.

But since December some Soka Gakkai members, led by Yoshihiko Ito, 43, a leading member of the organization's Chiba branch, have collected over 1,000 signatures from members and nonmembers alike opposed to the dispatch.

The signatures will be submitted to New Komeito party leader Takenori Kanzaki and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi by the end of this month.

The petition asserts the SDF dispatch is a violation of the war-renouncing Article 9 of Japan's Constitution.

``We know there are a variety of opinions among our supporters on sending SDF troops,'' a staff member of New Komeito's public relations office said. ``We are now taking a cautious stance concerning the dispatch of the Ground SDF.''

Although other Soka Gakkai members express concern that Ito's activities will disrupt the harmony of the organization, he has considerable support.

``The party (New Komeito) has been acting in complete contradiction of Soka Gakkai's doctrine, which is strongly opposed to war,'' Ito said. ``If we overlook such a thing, we will lose our religious values.''

Meanwhile, 1,800 people staged a loud protest rally at Hibiya Kokaido Public Hall in central Tokyo on Sunday to protest the planned dispatch.

The organizer, Action 111, an anti-war group led by critic Makoto Sataka, scheduled noisy outbursts at 1:11 p.m. at simultaneous rallies in at least 20 other places, including Sapporo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Naha.(IHT/Asahi: January 12,2004) (01/12)