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member was unsustainable and ultimately, more importantly, would in
uence
people
s understanding of their Buddhist practice, as well as of their political
engagement. If there was a practice among some older leaders to put pres-
sure, however unknowingly, on their members to vote for Komeito because
they are Soka Gakkai members, this was not visible among the young peo-
ple
'
s political culture, which focused on policies, political philosophy and the
political agenda.
This DVD may function to blur the boundaries between religious faith and
a political candidate
'
s character in a certain part of the country. At the same time, it
displays what appeals to Soka Gakkai members
'
-
hardworking, ordinary
people who struggle for people
s welfare and try to maintain high ideals. This
appeal to Soka Gakkai members to work hard for the candidate because he
can be trusted to be the kind of person they would like to see elected in pol-
itics also highlights broader tensions in religious faith as lived through col-
lective social activism. This in itself is not a
'
tension, but rather a
tension that inevitably exists when people organise to take collective action to
further a common goal because there will always need to be representatives
who have to be trusted. It is the very tension in democracy itself.
On the other hand, the Akino DVD was not an appeal to Soka Gakkai as
a religion or the promotion of religion. It was an expression of the kind of
person he could be trusted to be as a disciple of Ikeda, the mentor who is seen as
someone to be fully living the ideals of their Buddhist philosophy. This may
be at the core of what this religion is about
'
religious
'
-
-
human conduct
but in itself
can hardly be said to be con
cally religious. This
display of resolve by Akino that he can be trusted highlights the discourses
that surround the contentious realm of politics with its trappings of power,
but also the potential to do good for others that underscores Soka Gakkai
members
ned to something speci
desire to engage in politics. It highlighted the ever-existing tension
between having power in a political institution and ensuring that this power is
used for purposes of common interest above self-interest.
As I watched this, myself moved by Akino
'
s sincerity and determination, I
felt it also captured the tension that exists if active members who understand
the policy reasons and attractiveness of candidates then appeal to the less
active members simply based on faith. For the young people I observed and
spoke to, this tension between religion and political participation was much
less apparent as young people appealed to policies and political candidates
and not to membership in Soka Gakkai. However, this also highlighted the
greater separation that is being conceptualised as proper political engagement
based on a more rational and scienti
'
c appeal.
Promoting an ordinary person as someone who could be trusted to be sin-
cere as a politician was also apparent with Takeya Toshiko, who won a seat in
the Tokyo constituency in 2010. While she had been a very successful man-
agement consultant for 20 years, reaching the top ranks of a tough, male-
dominated environment, she was an unknown person to most people, and it
was a huge gamble for her as well as for Komeito to put her forward as a
 
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