What kind of incident was it?
  On September 1, 1995, Higashi-Murayama a council member Akiyo Asaki fell to her death from a building in front of the Higashi-Murayama Station’s Seibu Line. Asaki, who had been charged with shoplifting, was scheduled to appear at the Public Prosecutor’s Office four days later. Authorities investigated her death and concluded: “The suspicion of suicide is strong.”

Despite this conclusion, Shukan Shincho and Shukan Gendai, intimated in published reports that her death was a “murder” involving the Soka Gakkai. The Soka Gakkai filed lawsuits in response to the unsubstantiated reports – all of which it won. 		 
June 1995
Council member Akiyo Asaki steals a T-shirt from a clothing store in Higashi-Murayama

July
The Higashi-Murayama Police sends a report on Asaki’s shoplifting charge to the Public Prosecutor’s Office
The clothing store where the shoplifting incident occurred (left), The Higashi-Murayama Police Department (right)
 

September
Asaki jumps to her death from a building days before her scheduled appearance at the Public Prosecutor’s Office

The building from which Asaki jumped


Mos Burger: The branch manager and part-time staff discovered Asaki’s body
Shukan Shincho and Shukan Gendai publish unsubstantiated stories

October
The Soka Gakkai files a lawsuit against Shukan Gendai
The Police Department concludes Asaki’s death was a suicide
December
The Higashi-Murayama Police Department concludes: “Councilwoman Asaki committed suicide by jumping off a building.”
Masao Okkotsu (center)
May
Masao Okkotsu publishes an unsubstantiated article titled “Kaishi” or “Mysterious Death”

April
In addition to the Higashi-Murayama Police Department, the Tokyo District Court also concludes it is highly possible Asaki’s death was a suicide

August
The Soka Gakkai files a lawsuit against Shukan Shincho and the Higashi-Murayama Citizen Newspaper, a small-scale newspaper published by Asaki’s daughter Naoko Asaki and council member Hozumi Yano

The Higashi-Murayama
Citizen Newspaper

July
Tokyo District Court rules against Shukan Gendai, ordering the newspaper to pay 2 million yen in damages to publicly apologize to the Soka Gakkai; Shukan Gendai appeals the ruling
May
Tokyo District Court also rules against Shukan Shincho, ordering the newspaper to pay 2 million in damages to the Soka Gakkai; Shinchosha, publisher of Shukan Shincho, does not appeal the ruling and the order stands


The Tokyo District Court


December
Tokyo High Court also rules against the Higashi-Murayama Citizen Newspaper
October
The Supreme Court dismisses Shukan Gendai’s appeal

February
Shukan Gendai carries an apology in its March 8th issue






The apology that appeared
in the Shukan Gendai