Deadlock

Deadlock

     “Frankly speaking,” Toda went on calmly, “our campaign in Tokyo is deadlocked. Who is to blame for it? If you pursue this question, you’ll probably come up with the name of one person or another. In the final analysis, however, the responsibility rests with me because I am the president, and as such I am in a position to grasp the situation better than anyone else.”

Ryoichi Sawada, a YMD Corps chief, was responsible for the election campaign in Tokyo. At a Suiko Kai meeting in late May, Josei Toda was shocked to find Ryoichi in low spirits. Apparently veteran leaders felt it beneath their dignity to follow a young man’s leadership. Toda would have to take action to save both the Tokyo campaign and the young Sawada.
President Toda began to relate the story of the Five-storied Pagoda at the Head Temple by asking if anyone new the circumstances which led to its construction. He then related what had caused Itakura Katsuzumi to make the offering that financed the pagoda.

The Five-storied Pagoda – the story behind the story
     As related by Josei Toda May ’56

     In late 1637, Christians rose up in revolt in what is now known as the Shimabara Revolt. The shogunate sent Itakura Shigemasa to command the troops to put down the revolt. Itakura was a petty daimyo and the feudal lords of Kyushu considered it beneath their dignity to fight under his direction.
     In desperation, the shogunate decided to send high ranking Matsudaira Izunokami Nobutsuna to be commander-in-chief. Humiliated by his pending demotion, Itakura led an all-out attack on the enemy and he was killed.
     Some one hundred years later a descendant of Itakura made a donation to the Head Temple for the repose of his ancestor. With this offering the Five-storied Pagoda was built during the time of the 31st High Priest, Nichiin Shonin.

     Using this story as an introduction, Toda explained that the Tokyo campaign was deadlocked. He said that henceforth Sawada would only be responsible for metropolitan Tokyo. Yukio Ishiwata would have overall responsibility for the campaign.
     Sawada devoted himself to activities even more strenuously than before. Yet the organization in Tokyo was destined to be thrown into chaos. Stay tuned…

Points to ponder

     President Toda’s approach to the deadlock
     Sawada’s dilemma