Chapter 1 The Birth of Soka University

“I would like to establish a new university under the tentative name, Soka University, and foster great talents who will contribute to world peace.”

 
Launch of the Council for the Establishment of Soka University
The Council was launched in autumn 1965, the year following the announcement of the plan. The Senior High Expert Committee and University Expert Committee were set up at the same time to prepare for the establishment of Soka Senior High School and Soka University, respectively. The University Expert Committee considered the size, department configuration, and future vision of the planned university from a variety of angles.
 

Photos

• Ikeda announced his plan to establish Soka University at the 7th general assembly of the Soka Gakkai Student Division. (June 1964, Taito Gymnasium in Tokyo)
• The first meeting of the Council for the Establishment of Soka University was held. During this meeting, Ikeda mentioned that the planned site of the university was in Hachioji City. (November 1965)

Exhibits

• Part of the application documents submitted to the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture by the preparatory foundation for the establishment of Soka University Educational Corporation
• Pamphlets that were distributed before the opening of the University

From 1968 to 1969, student protests swept across universities and high schools around the nation. This whirlwind of student protests shocked the Japanese society as epitomized by the “Todai Riots” where students and the riot police engaged in violent clashes and many students were arrested.
 
Chronology of student protests

Conflicts can be resolved through human education based on trust for the youth

“…the root cause of the protests growing so formidable and violent lies in the fact that the (political) leaders as well as the professors and university administrators lacked affection and trust for the students” (Shufunotomo (women’s magazine), published February 1969)

“…I will open Soka University as soon as possible to ring the bells of hope for the stalling education community” (Zuihitsu Shin Ningen Kakumei (Essay – New human revolution), the first commencement ceremony of Soka University)

Pointing out that the root cause of the student protests and associated turmoil were the political leaders using education as a “political tool” and the backward “professors and university administrators” who “lacked affection and trust for the students,” Ikeda decided to advance the opening of Soka University by a year to April 1971 to provide a place to practice human education.

Photos

• Ikeda visiting the site for the construction of Soka University (April 1968)
• A discussion by Ikeda of the rampant students protests, “Daigaku Kakumei ni tsuite (University revolution)” contributed to Ushio (monthly magazine) published July 1969
• The day of the first entrance ceremony of Soka Gakuen (April 8, 1968) - Since the opening of Soka University was moved forward to 1971, the first cohort of students who entered Soka Senior High School on this day would have a chance to advance to Soka University.

“A whole new university based on new philosophy and ideas”
“I want to realize the principles of student participation to create an ideal learning community.”
(Souritsu sha no Katarai (The founder’s speech) Vol. Ⅰ)

In May 1969, Ikeda set forth the three founding principles and concrete visions as the basic philosophy that underlies Soka University.

The founding principles of Soka University
Be the highest seat of learning for humanistic education

“Soka University must be a learning hub to foster individuals of harmony and integrity equipped with the wisdom and creativity to take leadership in moving society forward.”

 
Be the cradle of a new culture

“Create a new culture founded on unlimited flourishing of human potential.”

 
Be a fortress for the peace of humankind

“Peace is the foundation. Neither can a new civilization be built, nor the future society be pioneered without peace.”

 
Visions for the university

• Faculty members give everything they have for education
• Faculty members and students are comrades together in pursuit of learning
• The principle of student participation in university administration
• Lectures given by businessmen and journalists who are working on the frontlines of society
• Dispatch of an academic investigation team to the Silk Road
• Archaeological site investigation of the ancient Yamatai
• Research of humanistic economics
• Research of humanistic history
• A focus to be placed on student dormitories (require all students to live in a dorm)
• Establishment of divisions for correspondence education and evening courses

Photos

• The founding principles and visions of Soka University were announced at the 32nd Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting (May 1969, Nihon University Auditorium in Ryogoku, Tokyo)
• Diorama of the completed Soka University (as imaged during preparation stage)

In the spring of 1969, the groundbreaking ceremony took place on the building site in Tangi-machi, Hachioji City. Preparations were accelerating on both the hardware and software fronts toward the opening of the university. Although it was not an easy task for a brand new university to recruit new faculty, there were prominent scholars like Nobuyuki Okuma who resonated with the idea of “a new university” proposed by Ikeda and spontaneously offered to participate. Moreover, many people from the public who resonated with Ikeda’s ideal also offered to make donations to support the plan.

Photos

• The groundbreaking ceremony took place near Tabidachi-no-niwa (The Garden of Departure) on April 2, 1969. Nobuyuki Okuma (1893-1977) on the right of the photo
• Okuma was recognized in a variety of fields, as an economist, critic, and a poet. Following the groundbreaking ceremony, he became closely acquainted with Ikeda and offered himself to become a member of the faculty. He was committed to the university as a professor of the Faculty of Economics until he deceased in 1977.

Monitor

Preparations for establishing the University seen through data

Please refer to the English subtitles in the video.
Running time: 2 minutes 20 seconds (on replay)

Exhibits

• Memorial medal issued to commemorate the foundation of Soka University
• Designs proposed during the process of creating the university emblem
• Some of the application forms sent from around the nation to donate for the establishment of Soka University

As part of the foundation ceremony held on April 2, 1971, the two bronze statues endowed by Ikeda as the symbol of the university were unveiled.
 
Lush green campus
“‘The University stood alone in the hills of Kasumi Kyuryo’ literally without any facilities for purchasing food or commodities in the vicinity”（Soka Daigaku Goju-nen no Rekishi (50 years of Soka University)
  
Cooperative Association (Co-op) of Soka University
Cooperative Associations are usually created after universities are founded. In Soka University’s case, it was formed before the opening of the University, so as to provide meals and daily essentials to the students immediately after the university opened.
 
The University Co-op operated a barber, dentist clinic, dry cleaner, and other services besides running a cafeteria and a store.
 
Transportation
The bus service between Hachioji Station and the campus operated at 60 to 90 minute intervals, except during the rush hours from around 8 to 10 in the morning. Many of the roads around the campus were unpaved back then.
 
The buses ran through Koshu Kaido, National Route 16, and Takiyama Kaido from the Sanyu-machi Intersection, and then uphill the Tokyo Metropolitan Road Route 166 (later called the Zentaro-zaka) before reaching the bus stop on campus.
 
Start of dorm living
More than 80% of the first cohort of students lived in the dormitories. The men’s dorm on campus was named Takiyama Dormitory by the students themselves.
 

Photos

• The bronze statues were unveiled at the foundation ceremony on April 2, 1971. “The Angel and the Blacksmith” (on the right) and “The Angel and the Printer” (on the left) created by French sculptor Alexandre Falguière (1831-1900). The two sculptures carry the messages of “Spread your wings and fly high to the world” and “Be a friend of the laborers and the common people and never forget that mindset.”
• Aerial photo of the site before the opening of the University (November 1969): It shows that the campus was built amidst the hills. 

Exhibits

• The course timetable, registrations forms, and curriculum outline in the first year of the University
• Schedule of the New Student Orientation conducted after the opening of the University

Inviting the founder to the campus

“I do not want to belittle you by treating you as pupils or educands.”
“The relationship between student and teacher should be equal.”
(Excerpts from a speech given by Ikeda at the first Soka University Festival)

Following Ikeda’s absence from the foundation ceremony and the first entrance ceremony, the idea of inviting Ikeda to the campus gathered momentum among the students. In response to an enthusiastic call from the students asking him to come to the University, Ikeda answered “I’d be happy to attend an event organized by the students.”

Photos

The first Soka University Festival

• The first Soka University Festival (November 1971)

• The commemorative festival held in the central gymnasium under the attendance of Ikeda became the predecessor of the commemorative events (such as the Soka Glory Meeting) held during the Soka University Festival nowadays.

• List of participating organizations in the first Soka University Festival: Many student clubs were formed to take part in the Soka University Festival (Sodai Journal, Issue 2)

• Poster of the first Soka University Festival

“I hope to build a tradition of humanistic education that cannot be achieved at existing universities”
(Excerpt from a speech given by Ikeda at the first Takiyama Festival)

Takiyama Festival started as a dorm festival, whereas the Soka Festival is a university festival. Ikeda visited the Takiyama Dormitory (men’s dorm) for the first time during the first Takiyama Festival.

Photos

• Ikeda took up the drumsticks himself at the Bon dance during the second Takiyama Festival (July 1973, central gymnasium)
• Ikeda’s first visit to the Takiyama Dormitory (men’s dorm) where the first Takiyama Festival took place (July 1972)

• Pamphlet of the first Takiyama Festival

In October 1972, the Board of Trustees suddenly notified a tuition fee raise starting from the next academic year. Students were strongly against this decision, which was subsequently withdrawn by the Board of Trustees. This incident involving the tuition issue raised great awareness toward realizing “the principle of student participation” and “ideal learning community” advocated by Ikeda.
 
[Historical Background] What was the situation in 1972?

1. Prices were skyrocketing in a phenomenon later referred to as the “Wild Price Spiral”. Consumer prices saw an increase of 11.3% in the two years following 1970, which is the year when the tuition and other fees were first decided.
2. Soka University was not entitled to a sufficient amount of government subsidies because it was a newly-established university and had only first and second-year students.
3. In virtue of Ikeda’s request, the tuition and fees of Soka University were set at a level lower than the average private university since the foundation.

Average tuition of private universities (for daytime courses in law, literature, and economics): ¥90,900 (*)   Tuition of Soka University: ¥75,000

* According to Table “Retail Prices of Major Items for Ku-area of Tokyo” in the Retail Price Survey (Statistics Bureau of Japan. 1972)
 
1.         Unilateral decision by the Board of Trustees
In October 1972, the Board of Trustees unilaterally notified the students that the tuition and fees would be raised from 167,200 yen to 213,000 yen in the next academic year.
 
2.         Rebuttal stating that such notice was against the principle of student participation
The students pointed out that setting aside the question of the appropriateness of the tuition increase, such unilateral notice was against the principle of student participation that Ikeda set forth.
 
“The announcement was stunningly sudden and incompatible with the principle of student participation. The students’ attention therefore became focused on the issue of student participation rather than the tuition increase itself.” (Excerpt from a journal issued by the Student Body Association Kusahibari, Issue 3)
 
3.         The Board of Trustees’ withdrawal of tuition increase
The withdrawal of the tuition increase notice was decided through discussion between the Board of Trustees and the students. It was also decided to set up a forum for discussing matters related to university administration among the Board of Trustees, faculty and staff members, and the students.
 
“The proposal for tuition increase has been withdrawn. From here onward, the Plenary Council of Soka University will be set up to reflect student opinions in deliberations through a four-way discussion among faculty members, staff members, students, and trustees. (Excerpt from a journal issued by the Student Body Association Kusahibari, Issue 3)
 
4.         Establishment of the Plenary Council of Soka University
This is how the Plenary Council of Soka University was established in April 1974. During this period, Ikeda encouraged the students to “be young founders of the university.”
 
5.         Collecting the opinions of all students
Following the establishment of the Plenary Council of Soka University, the Student Union set up a tuition and fees committee to deliberate matters related to the topic, and collect student opinions from each of the classes and seminars.
 
6.         Students passed a resolution to increase tuition and fees
Through such university-wide discussions, the students themselves passed a proposal to increase the tuition and fees at an extraordinary student meeting convened in 1975.
 
“The Plenary Council of Soka University has been organized and operated as a deliberation body composed of representatives of students, Board of Trustees, faculty and staff members.”
 
“This is a system through which the voices of the students can be incorporated into decision-making of university administration and noteworthy as a means for improving the quality of university education.”
(Japan University Accreditation Association. Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Results for Soka University, 2008)  
 
From the withdrawal of the tuition increase notice to the establishment of the Plenary Council
October 17, 1972
The Board of Trustees notified an increase in the tuition and fees (from 167,200 yen to 213,000 yen in the next academic year) by distributing pamphlets and posting a notice on the bulletin board.
 
October 20
The Student Union held a general assembly.
The Chair of the Board of Trustees attended the assembly and responded to questions raised by the students.
 
October 22-27
Class discussions on tuition and fees were organized by the Student Union.
 
October 27
The Student Union made a proposal for discussion with the Board of Trustees. 
The Board of Trustees stated during the discussion that it would withdraw its tuition increase notice.
 
September 1973
The preparatory committee for the establishment of the Plenary Council of Soka University was formed based on the agreement of organizations representing the students, faculty, staff, and trustees.
 
[Figure] 
Configuration of the Plenary Council when it was initially formed. Representatives of various organizations gathered to discuss matters related to university administration.
 
April 1974
The Plenary Council of Soka University was officially established.
 
June 1975
The creation of a tuition and fees committee within the Student Union was decided at an extraordinary student meeting.
 
October 1975
Proposal to increase tuition and fees for AY1976 was approved at an extraordinary student meeting.
 

Photo

• Inauguration ceremony of the Plenary Council of Soka University