A Brief History of SGI Buddhism
The history of Buddhism began with the first historically recorded Buddha, Shakyamuni.Who, according to western scholars lived around 500 - 600 BCE. However, Nichiren's writings would indicate that he lived around 1000 BCE.
For a more detailed history of Shakyamuni's life follow this link.
In the 13th century in Japan, an extraordinary teacher arose who clarified the confusing state of affairs concerning the correct Buddhist teaching to be followed. His name was Nichiren.
In the 20th Century, Nichiren's Buddhism was taken up by a Japanese Primary School teacher by the name of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. Who founded an organisation called Soka Kyoiku Gakkai which was the fore runner of the Soka Gakkai.He opposed the Japanese Government's war mongering and was imprisoned for refusing to accept the state religion of Shinto. In 1943, Makiguchi and Toda, along with 19 other leaders of the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai, were arrested and imprisoned. In 1944 Makiguchi died in prison of malnutrition, refusing to the end to compromise his beliefs.
Josei Toda Survived his incarceration, though he was severely weakened. He revived Mr Makiguchi's Buddhist organisation renaming it the Soka Gakkai. He died in 1958.
In 1960, Mr Toda's closest disciple, Mr Daisaku Ikeda became the third president of the organisation. He later founded the Soka Gakkai International, or SGI, which was to spread Nichiren's Buddhism beyond the shores of Japan.