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Daisaku Ikeda (池田 大作, born January 2, 1928) is the president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist association of more than 12 million members in more than 190 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and research institutions. He owns his own daily newspaper in Japan, distributed to millions of SGI followers. His Soka Gakkai followers often affectionately address him as Sensei ("master").
He was president of the Japanese branch of Soka Gakkai from 1960 to 1979, when he was succeeded by Hiroshi Hojo. Ikeda was named the president of SGI, the umbrella organization for various local Soka Gakkai groups, upon its founding in 1975 and remains in that position to the present (2004).
He is considered by followers of Soka Gakkai to be a prolific writer, poet and peace activist, recognized as one of the leading interpreters of Nichiren Buddhism in terms of popularity of his interpretations, bringing its timeless wisdom to bear on the many contemporary issues confronting humanity.
Outside of the organization, he remains a controversial figure, sometimes linked with various accusations that have been made about Soka Gakkai's activities.
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