Statement on the Passing of SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Daisaku Ikeda, Honorary President of the Soka Gakkai and President of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), passed away from natural causes at his residence in Shinjuku, Tokyo, on the evening of November 15. He was ninety-five. A funeral has been held with members of his immediate family; the time and date of commemorative services will be announced shortly.

Ikeda was born in Tokyo on January 2, 1928. He was inaugurated as third President of the Soka Gakkai in 1960 and for almost two decades led the lay Buddhist movement in dynamic growth that also saw important international development. He became Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President in 1975 and Soka Gakkai Honorary President in 1979. He is survived by his wife Kaneko and his sons Hiromasa and Takahiro. 

Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada and Mr. Ikeda’s son, Senior Vice President Hiromasa Ikeda, released a video message following the passing of Mr. Ikeda. The video is available until midnight (JST) November 30, 2023, and subtitled in various languages. Please use the CC function to select your language. 

The national leaders of SGI Canada join practitioners around the world in sending their condolences to President Ikeda’s family. We will pass on the details of memorial services here in Canada and worldwide, as soon as they are available. In the meantime, we are chanting for Sensei’s peace and eternal happiness, and we encourage districts to go ahead with their District General Meetings as celebrations of Sensei's achievements.

SGI Canada National leaders