Daisaku Ikeda, head of global Japanese Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, dies at 95

By YURI KAGEYAMA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Daisaku Ikeda, who headed Soka Gakkai, a Japanese Buddhist organization, that includes Herbie Hancock and other celebrities in its fold, has died. The Japanese religious organization said Saturday that Ikeda, 95, died on Nov. 15 at his Tokyo home from “natural causes.” Along with his two predecessors, Ikeda is credited with reviving Nichiren Buddhism in the modern age, making it more accessible for present-day practitioners by emphasizing the importance of happiness. Soka Gakkai has been set up in 192 countries, drawing more than 8 million member households in Japan, and nearly 3 million people outside Japan, according to the organization. Ikeda is survived by his wife Kaneko and his sons, Hiromasa and Takahiro.