A Declaration of Peace: Josei Toda and the Soka Gakkai
Josei Toda, second Soka Gakkai president, was an educator, publisher and entrepreneur whose message that all people can transform their lives through an inner-motivated change resonated with those suffering in the devastation of postwar Japan.
A Declaration of Peace: Josei Toda and the Soka Gakkai traces Toda’s remarkable life from his early years as an educator, his introduction to Nichiren Buddhism, his imprisonment for his opposition to Japan’s militarist government, and subsequent efforts to rebuild the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai, the forerunner of the Soka Gakkai.
In 1957, during a period of heightened nuclear tensions, Toda made his historic declaration calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, which he delivered before 50,000 youth in Yokohama, Japan. A rallying cry for humanity, this declaration became the cornerstone of the Soka Gakkai’s efforts for peace, which are grounded in respect for the dignity of life.
