1995 Volume 1995 Issue 8 Pages 167-178
This paper examines, from a sociological point of view, the religious movements in modern Japan—in particular, the Buddhist movements which proposed to make this world a utopia by the unity of religion and politics.
The focus is placed upon the movement started by Tanaka Tigaku (1861-1939) who, before the Second World War, organized the Kokuchukai Society. His movement aimed to unify Japan and the rest of the world by the unity of religion and politics (Houkokumyogo). The movement is, here, defined as “the Nichiren-ist movement of the original theory of national polity” based on his original “theory of national polity of Nichiren-ism”. The special note of this movement is taken to the period of the 1900's to the 1920's.
