We look back on the life of Daisaku Ikeda, who spent his life paving the way for world peace.
1928
Jan
Born in Ota Ward, Tokyo.
1942
Apr
Joined Niigata Iron Works (Tokyo)
1945
Sep
After the war, transferred to Toyo Commercial (currently Toyo High School) night club for 2nd year.
1947
Aug 14
Participates in a Soka Gakkai roundtable discussion. Meets a lifelong mentor, Toda Josei
Aug 24
Joined Soka Gakkai (age 19).
1948
Apr
Entered Daisei Gakuin (currently Tokyo Fuji University)
1949
Jan
Joined Nippon Seigakukan, run by Mr. Toda.
1950
Jan
Gave up night school to support Mr. Toda's business. Receive private instruction from Mr. Toda
Oct
Transferred to Okura Shoji
1952
May
Married to Mrs. Kahoko
1954
Mar
Appointed as youth department manager
1956
Jul
Won victory as the person in charge of supporting the House of Councilors election (Osaka district).
1958
Mar 16
Entrusted with all future responsibilities by Mr. Toda.
Apr 2
<Mr. Toda passed away (age 58)>
Jun 30
Appointed to general affairs.
1960
May 3
Appointed as the third president of Soka Gakkai
Oct 2
Departing for first overseas trip (North and South America)
1961
Jan 28
First visit to Asia
Oct 4
First visit to Europe
Nov 27
Formed the Komeito Political Federation, the predecessor of the Komeito Party.
1962
Jan 27
The Institute of Oriental Studies (currently the Institute of Oriental Philosophy) was established.
Nov 29
First visit to the Middle East (visit to Egypt, first step on the African continent)
1963
Oct 18
Founded Democratic Music Association (Min-On)
1964
May 12
First visit to Australia (first step to Oceania)
Dec 2
Started writing the novel “Human Revolution”
1967
Oct 15
Met Konosuke Matsushita at the Tokyo Cultural Festival (since then, 30 conversations and 300 questions and answers in correspondence; later a collection of conversations, Life Questions and Answers (1975))
1968
Apr
Soka Junior High School and High School open
Sep 8
Announcing proposals for normalization of Japan-China relations
1971
Apr 2
Soka University opens
1972
May 5
First conversation with historian Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee
1973
Apr
Soka Girls' Junior and Senior High School (currently Kansai Soka Junior and Senior High School) opens.
1974
Apr
First overseas university lecture (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
May
First visit to China (meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai in December)
Sep
First visit to the Soviet Union (meeting with Prime Minister Kosygin on the 17th)
1975
Jan 10
Handing over 10 million signatures calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons to the United Nations Secretary-General (United Nations Headquarters)
Jan 26
Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is established and SGI president is appointed.
May 27
“Honorary Doctorate” from Moscow University.
1976
Apr
Sapporo Soka Kindergarten opens
1978
Apr
Tokyo Soka Elementary School opens
1979
Apr 24
Appointed honorary president of Soka Gakkai
1981
Jul 1
Titled “Poet Laureate” by the World Academy of Arts and Culture
Dec
Soka Gakkai becomes a United Nations Information Bureau NGO (non-governmental organization)
1982
Jan
Kansai Soka Elementary School opens
1983
May 12
SGI becomes United Nations Economic and Social Council NGO
Aug 8
The United Nations Peace Prize is awarded by the League of Nations.
Nov 3
Tokyo Fuji Art Museum opens
1985
Apr
Soka Women's Junior College opens
1990
Jul 27
First meeting with Soviet President Gorbachev in Moscow (since then, 10 meetings have been held)
Oct 31
First meeting with Mr. Nelson Mandela at Seikyo Shimbun headquarters (later met twice)
1991
Sep 26
Lecture at Harvard University, USA (second time in 1993)
1992
Sep
Hong Kong Soka Kindergarten opens (later opened in Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, and South Korea)
1993
Jan
First meeting with Rosa Parks near Los Angeles (reunited the following year in Tokyo)
Feb
The novel “Human Revolution” completes 12 volumes with chapter 19 (1509 episodes) of “New Dawn”
Aug
Started writing the novel “New Human Revolution”
Sep
Boston 21st Century Center (currently Ikeda International Dialogue Center) established
1995年
Aug
"World Poet Laureate" award from the World Poetry Association (later also "World People's Poet" and "World Peace Poet" awards)
1996
Feb 11
Establishment of the Toda Memorial International Peace Research Institute
Jun 26
Visited the Republic of Costa Rica in Central America (overseas visits to 54 countries/regions)
2001
May 3
Soka University of America opens
2004
Dec
A special feature titled "Sensei's World" was published in the September 6th issue of the American economic magazine "Forbes".
2008
Apr 23
Introducing that SGI now has 192 countries and regions
2011
Nov 3
The novel “New Human Revolution” has become the most serialized newspaper novel in Japan (4,726 times)
2018
Aug
Completed all 30 volumes of the novel "New Human Revolution" (completed on September 8th. Including Human Revolution, the total number of serializations was 7978)
2019
Nov
The total number of books published overseas by Daisaku Ikeda reaches 2000.
2022
Apr
Honorary Doctorate in Education from National Chungbuk University, South Korea. 400 honorary academic titles awarded.
2023
Nov 15
Passed away (95 years old)
2024
Jan 20
Memorial ceremony jointly sponsored by the City of Florence, Italy and Soka Gakkai Italy
Jan 30
Approximately 2,600 people from embassies of approximately 40 countries, as well as business and academic circles, attended the "farewell party."
Feb 20
Memorial event held at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.
