Aspiration for the good society - Religion and Politics in Contemporary Japan - page 81

matter. Just as for Taka, for many young Soka Gakkai members learning
about politics and policies, albeit with the aim of becoming interested in
canvassing for Komeito, mostly e erent way of thinking about

themselves and of being in the world. One day, in conversation with Mari she
summed up my own observations (con

ected a di

rmed over the years) about the e ect

of taking part in election activities:

Members struggle to open themselves up. Engaging in election activities
is

the challenge to bring forth the
courage to be able to speak freely about what you think is important.
And when you overcome your lack of self-con

first and foremost an internal struggle -

dence you feel really
happy because you have overcome something which is holding you back,
not only in election activities, but also within yourself in your daily life.
Of all the activities we do for k - sen-rufu, election activities are the most
challenging because you have to really go outside your own circle of
acquaintances and open up yourself. You have to face up to the biases
that exist in society against Soka Gakkai Saying that, I think it is easier

to talk to younger people, they listen more, because they have less prejudice
against Soka Gakkai.
The di

…

is Division is that they are more rooted
in the community. But it is more di

erence with the Women '

cult for the older generation to make

…

new friends the older generation is more LDP [Liberal Democratic

Party]-oriented and want to maintain the status quo. People in their early
twenties are easier to talk to as they have less biased opinions than those
who have already entered the labour market and may read more negative
things [about Soka Gakkai]. This may also be because younger people
rely more on their friends and thus are easier to have intimate conversa-
tions with, they listen more. But also they may not know so much or be
very interested or think that their one vote makes any di

erence, so why
bother. Also, many Soka Gakkai young people are not really interested.
But more are confronted with this apathy because the organisation to
which they belong supports Komeito, which compels some of them to
know more, become more engaged, and if they want to talk to their
friends about politics, they have to know what is going on, what party
stands for what and so on.

(conversation with Mari, 03/11/2003)

As became apparent, canvassing for Komeito is a process through which
young people educate themselves through learning about and engaging with
politics, albeit primarily with Komeito policies, and thereby come to be
interested in politics. The notion that because it was challenging was exactly
why they felt they developed themselves were sentiments apparent at the
many small gatherings I attended in the weeks leading up to an election.
During the 2003 House of Representatives (Lower House) election, for
instance, every night I attended small informal gatherings (three-to- ve