Soka Gakkai International Soka Gakkai (also: Soka Gakkai International, SGI-USA) - Soka Gakkai has its roots in a tradition of Japanese Buddhism founded by Nichiren (1222-1282). (The differences between other Japanese Buddhist traditions - or Buddhism in general - and Nichiren Shoshu are too lengthy to detail here. For an excellent discussion of Nichiren Buddhism, see Ellwood, Introducing Japanese Religion.) In 1928, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi converted to Nichiren Shoshu. Together with Josei Toda, also a practioner of Nichiren Shoshu, they formed the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai ("Value-Creation Education Society) in 1930. Soka Kyoiku Gakkai combined Makiguchi's educational philosophy and Nichiren Shoshu. Makiguchi upheld three values to be of the utmost importance: Goodness, Beauty, and Benefit. Makiguchi and Toda believed that religions should be evaluated for their benefits in this life, and that Nichiren Shoshu was the best among the existing religions for doing so. The movement was not initially a religious one, but due to the political environment in the 1940s, all movements of Nichiren Buddhism were combined by the government. Josei Toda led the Soka Gakkai movement after Makiguchi's death in 1944, presenting Nichiren Shoshu as the one true Buddhism and the one true religion of the world, changing the name of the movement to Nichiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai, and the movement became an evangelizing organization within the parent Nichiren Buddhist organization. Largely due to an increased interest in Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Buddhism claimed approximately three million members by 1962 to become the largest Buddhist tradition in Japan at the time, and 7,500,00 members by 1970. The current president of Soka Gakkai, and the founder of Soka Gakkai International, is Daisaku Ikeda (b.1928). Under his leadership, Soka Gakkai has emphasized world peace and the spread of culture. Tensions emerged between Soka Gakkai members and the priests of the parent Nichiren Shoshu organization leading to the 1991 split into Soka Gakkai International and Nichiren Shoshu. Soka Gakkai International, as the name implies, is present in dozens of countries around the world, with a reported membership of over ten million people. Categories : 20 th C; contemporary movement; Japan; Religion & Education; Buddhist inspired; Evangelical; Global movement; Charismatic leader; Primary Sources :  Soka Gakkai International-USA: http://www.sgi-usa.org/  Soka Gakkai International: http://www.sgi.org/  Soka Gakkai International Quarterly: http://www.sgiquarterly.org  Ikeda, Daisaku. "Human Revolution" in New Religious Movements: A Documentary Reader. Dereck Daschke and W. Michael Ashcraft, editors. New York: New York University Press, 2005.  For a complete listing of Ikeda's published works, see the "Books " page on his website.  "Peace is our duty: accounts of what war can do to man" compiled by the Youth Division of Soka Gakkai. English translation by Richard L. Gage. Tokyo: Japan Times, 1982.  "Women Against War" compiled by the Women's Division of Soka Gakkai. English translation by RIchard L. Gage. Tokyo & New York: Kodansha International through Harper & Row Publishers, 1986. Secondary Sources :  Website devoted to Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871-1944) and "Value-Creating Education": http://www.tmakiguchi.org  Website devoted to Josei Toda (1900-58), second president of Soka Gakkai: http://www.joseitoda.org  Website devoted to Daisaku Ikeda (b.1928), third and current president of Soka Gakkai, founder of Soka Gakka International: http://www.daisakuikeda.org  Bethel, Dayle M. Makiguchi the Value Creator, Revolutionary Japanese Educator and Founder of Soka Gakkai. New York: Weatherhill, 1973.