Meanwhile, the Japanese government, in the midst of World War II, had plunged the whole nation into the abyss of war. Firmly embracing Nichiren Daishonin's spirit, President Makiguchi resisted a wartime government order to worship the Sun Goddess of Shintoism, an evil policy that permeated the nation.

The military government of the time must have been deceived by the misconception that the Sun Goddess had generated the kamikaze (or sacred wind) that helped push back the Mongolian invasions in the thirteenth century. The government was unaware of the fact that the kamikaze arose from the prayer of the original Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin. The military government neither heeded nor referenced the Daishonin's teachings, failing to recognize that, because of its slanderous acts, Japan was attacked by Mongol forces.

The Japanese military government employed the base, evil philosophy of Shintoism to unify the nation's spirit, whereas the United States followed a philosophy [of pragmatism] as represented by the American philosopher John Dewey (1859-1952). This, along with the lack of materials, had already determined the outcome of the war. It was unavoidable that the military authorities went insane as the nation experienced a total defeat.

The supreme philosophy of Buddhism clearly explained that Japan would be defeated if it operated based on Shintoism. In fact, the military even attempted to burn those of the Daishonin's documents that expounded his most important teachings. The military held the reins of authority. Intimidated, virtually scared to death by the military government, people foolishly agreed to build shrines to the Sun Goddess in their homes, which they worshiped blindly. In these circumstances, President Makiguchi strictly pointed out to the Soka Gakkai members that worshiping the Sun Goddess is absolutely opposed to the spirit of Nichiren.

Swayed by the military, the Japanese nation took strange actions. Without understanding how ideologically confused the people would become, the Japanese nation attempted to unify all religions. It went so far as to encourage all citizens to worship the Sun Goddess and ask her to unleash kamikaze. Those who refused were accused of being enemies of the nation and proponents of treacherous, antiwar thoughts. For the first time in the history of Japan, virtually the entire nation adopted faith in the Sun Goddess.

The correct definition of the Sun Goddess is a deity that protects the Lotus Sutra. In other words, only when we pray to the Lotus Sutra will the Sun Goddess reveal her power. However, the whole nation, ignorant of the importance of worshiping the Lotus Sutra of Nichiren Daishonin, merely offered prayers to the Sun Goddess. As a result devils rather than the answer to people's prayers, dwelt in the talisman of the Sun Goddess, and the nation virtually became psychotic.

Nikko Shonin, founder of Taiseki-ji, writes in his "Twenty-Six Admonitions," "Believers should be strictly prohibited from visiting [heretical] temples and shrines. " In this spirit, President Makiguchi made a strong declaration: "We have no choice but to propagate the Dai-Gohonzon, the true intent of Nichiren Daishonin, in order to save our nation. How can we save our country merely by praying to the Sun Goddess?"

The head temple feared persecution if it supported Mr. Makiguchi's contention that unless it follows the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin, any country, family or individual would experience punishment. It seemed that the head temple was more frightened of the possible persecution it would face from the military if believers did not obediently enshrine the Shinto object of worship.