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| Allegations
and Rumors Spread The accident was clear-cut. Ohashi died because of his reckless driving. However, Shukan Shincho twisted facts and turned its story into one about murder. The incident was then exaggerated by people with common interests. Priests with grudges against the Soka Gakkai Immediately after the accident, priests within Nichiren Shoshu went public about the incident. Nichiren Shoshu priest Hiroyuki Fujiwara, of Bukken-ji Temple of Sapporo, spread rumors in various locations, infringing on Shirayama’s human rights. Masatomo Yamazaki, opportunist Masatomo Yamazaki, who served three years in prison for attempting to extort money from the Soka Gakkai, conspired to call further attention to the defamatory article. In a letter to Nichiren Shoshu chief priest Nikken Abe, Yamazaki wrote, “The three of us, Yamazaki, Dan and Okkotsu, have created materials for questions to be raised during the Diet … [It will] raise a clamor October 10 through 13 during the hours the Diet session is broadcast on television.” Politicians aiming to gain votes in the elections In accordance with Yamazaki’s scenario, a politician raised questions during a Diet session on October 11, 1994, using the Shukan Shincho article. Shirayama’s human rights were infringed upon with rumors broadcast to a nationwide audience. A widely-publicized set of photos showed former politician Katsuhiko Shirakawa, Masatomo Yamazaki, Isao Dan and Masao Okkotsu holding a secret meeting immediately before Shirakawa raised questions at the parliamentary session. |
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 Former
politician Katsuhiko Shirakawa, Masatomo Yamazaki, Isao Dan and
Masao Okkotsu holding a secret meeting right before the Diet session,
where Shirakawa raised unfounded allegations about Shirayama. (Above:
from left to right: Yamazaki, former politician Shirakawa. Bottom:
from left to right: Okkotsu, Dan, Yamazaki, secretary of former
politician Shirakawa). |
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 The letter written by Yamazaki to Nikken. |
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