Jōsei Toda

Jōsei Toda
Toda in May 1951
2nd President of Soka Gakkai
In office 3 May 1951 - 2 April 1958
Preceded by	Tsunesaburō Makiguchi
Succeeded by	Daisaku Ikeda
Personal details
Born	(1900-02-11)11 February 1900 Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Died	2 April 1958(1958-04-02) (aged 58) Surugadai Nihon University Hospital, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Alma mater	Chuo University

Jōsei Toda (戸田 城聖, Toda Jōsei^?, February 11, 1900 – April 2, 1958) was a teacher, peace activist and second president of Soka Gakkai from 1951 to 1958. Imprisoned for two years during World War II under violating the Peace Preservation Law and the charge of lèse-majesté, he emerged from prison intent on rebuilding the Soka Gakkai. He has been described as the architect of the Soka Gakkai, the person chiefly responsible for its existence today. Toda was the disciple of Tsunesaburō Makiguchi and mentor of Daisaku Ikeda, respectively the first and third presidents of the Soka Gakkai. Toda's leadership in building the Soka Gakkai is the theme of Ikeda's 12-volume roman à clef, "The Human Revolution" (Ningen kakumei) which has sold millions of copies.

Toda was born in 1900, the eleventh son of a poor fisherman in the village of Shioya, Ishikawa, off the Sea of Japan. In 1904 his family moved to Hokkaido, settling in the remote fishing village of Atsuta in the province of Ishikari. His education was disrupted after finishing primary school due to his need to move to Sapporo and start working at the age of 15. An autodidactic learner, he studied on his own and at age 17 passed an examination certifying him as a substitute teacher. In 1920 he moved to Tokyo where he met Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, an elementary school principal, who was to become his mentor. He taught for Makiguchi until 1922 when he became a private afterschool owner and entrepreneur.

Toda and his wife suffered the loss of a 6-month old daughter in 1923 and his wife died two years later from tuberculosis. Toda contracted the same illness as well and was often ill.