The Japan Times dead link reports: "Hiroshi Mori, 67, a publisher and former head of a fringe political group; Seiji Takeoka, 55, an employee at Mori's firm; and company executive Teruaki Yuasa, 61, were arrested on suspicion of attempting to extort several billion yen by threatening to publish data on 4.6 million Yahoo BB subscribers."
Japan Press Weekly dead link reports: "Takeoka Seiji, who was arrested on a charge of using stolen customer data to extort Internet service provider Yahoo! BB, is a liaison between the Komei Party and its parent organization Soka Gakkai and the Liberal Democratic Party."
You can read more about the alleged extortion in the Asahi Shimbun dead link . Bloomberg dead link also mentioned the bust.
An anonymous comment dead link posted on Silicon.com in response to a report dead link claims: "Seiji Takeoka who works for the Yahoo! BB agency, and suspect Teruaki Yuasa, a vice president of the "S S T" are both vice presidents of Soka Gakkai. Takeoka was involved in a political wiretap scandal some years back."
So what's the deal? Are any of these guys SGI members, leaders or paid staffers? If you have info, please share it.
Comments
Another sensational tabloid article that has nothing to do with faith.
I guess we are all susceptible to become criminals for our association with SGI.
Watch out SGI members!
MA
Yea, Micha.
All of us here KNOW you take an open-minded view of critisism of the SGI. If there was any truth in this allegation you'd be the first one to admit it, right?
P.
Micha -
You're not helping here. You are ill-equipped to defend SGI and everytime you post you just poor salt in the wound.
Rev. Greg
Here is another link to the story.
http://www.weeklypost.com/040301/040301c.htm dead link
I personally have no idea whether the Weekly Post is a credible publication or not.
Seiji Takeoka was the guy accused of a political wiretapping about 30 years ago. He is a senior vice president of SG. Maybe it's just a coincidence but it seemd that some SGI leader gets into hot water at least once a year, that makes it into the major world press. The Tonga scandal comes to mind. A couple years ago an SG leader swindled the king of Tonga out of about 3/4 of their national budget. P Ikeda used to talk alot about the king, and vice versa, but haven't heard a peep about Tonga from him since this thing went down. I wonder if they kept that beash named after Ikeda? I would love to be a fly on the palace walls now whenever his name comes up in conversation
Joe
Hey Joe S -- there's no rule here that you must post a legit e-mail address, but please do so as a courtesy to other readers who post their legit contact info. I know who you are because I have access to the blog activity log, but others don't.
So far, you are the only one I know who is saying that one of these guys is a senior VP of SGI. Where are you getting that info?
As for Tonga, the case against Jesse Bogdonoff was recently settled for about $1 million. (Google it.) No suit was ever brought against SGI. The "SGI connection" amounted to the fact that Bogdonoff was part of a team of SGI members sent to Tonga to build a sun dial as a gift from Daisaku Ikeda to the Kingdom of Tonga.
Quite apart from his involvement with SGI, Bogdonoff was entrusted with managing the Kingdom's assets, about $25 million I think, which he lost in the market.
While Bogdonoff might never have found himself in the presence of the King of Tonga if not for his SGI membership, I don't think it's fair to hold SGI responsible for Bogdonoff's actions.
On the other hand, I know that when SGI members' actions result in fame and fortune, SGI is all too happy to claim association and imply responsibility for the success of the member. I've seen this with Roberto Baggio, Duncan Sheik, Wayne Shorter and many others, sometimes publicly, but more often privately, in small meetings.
Lisa J.
Here's something that was posted to the SGI Yahoo discussion group:
====================================
'Biggest data leak ever' hits Japanese ISP
by Jo Best
Name: Anonymous
Country: Japan
Occupation: Internet security
Comments: Soka Gakkai Cult Connection
Is it any wonder that the 2 main suspects are both Soka Gakkai cult executives? Seiji Takeoka who works for the Yahoo! BB agency, and suspect Teruaki Yuasa, a vice president of the "S S T" are both vice presidents of Soka Gakkai. Takeoka was involved in a political wiretap scandal some years back. The Soka Gakkai is the cult behind the #2 political party of Japan, the Komeito. Soka Gakkai is constantly in hot water. See the website:
http://www.sg-eye.com dead link
The leader of Soka Gakkai is Daisaku Ikeda. He is the behind-the-scenes leader of Komeito. He is also listed as the 17th richest person in all of asia.
Website: http://www.daisaku-ikeda.com dead link
For more information on this scandal, do a search on news.yahoo.com for "Seiji Takeoka" (leave quotes intact)
==========================
...I dunno about accuracy. It's obviously from someone who is not fond of the Gakkai. Interesting to note how wealthy Mr. Ikeda is, though. That is, I believe, fairly accurate. Lotta books sold, yes?
Cheers!
Andy
Lisa, to answer your question, I think Joe's information about the leaders in question and their positions with SGI must come from the blurb I posted a link to called the Weekly Post. Here is the text (not a link).
Yahoo BB is the name of the DSL service subsidiary of Yahoo Japan which is owned by Soft Bank. Masayoshi Son, a successful Japanese entrepreneur, founded Soft Bank.
A group of three men stole subscriber lists to Yahoo BB DSL services and attempted to take 2 to 3 billion yen (approx.$19 to 29 million) by threatening Yahoo BB in exchange for the subscriber lists.
The police investigation has found that two out the three were executives of Sokagakkai, the largest religious group in Japan which has a political party called the new Komeito.
The two men are Seiji Takeoka, President of SST Inc., a sales agent of Yahoo BB, and Teruaki Yuasa, Vice President of the same company. At the same time, Mr. Takeoka is the Vice President of Sokagakkai Toshima Ward in Tokyo and Mr. Yuasa is Vice President of Sokagakkai Hakodate.
The two suspects resigned from their Sokagakkai positions.
Sokagakkai was upset by the news. Mr. Takeoka was well known among the followers of Sokagakkai because he was a criminal who wire-tapped Kenji Miyamoto, then Chairman of the Japan Communist Party in 1980.
I already provided the link in my previous post, and the note that I have no idea how credible this source is.
Also, I am of the opinion that these acts don't reflect particularly on the religion these guys practice.
yay
OK, then. The Weekly Post reports that two of the guys were SGI VPs.
How 'bout that, SGI Public Affairs Department -- how 'bout a statement from you guys now?
How close were these VPs to Daisaku Ikeda? What were their duties within SGI? Most important: Did these SGI leaders have access to personal information/data related to SGI members and leaders? Does SGI know if these VPs stole any of SGI's information? Were they able to gather member names, addresses, financial information, personal details? Do tell.
Lisa J.
I have no info, but here are some places to look. These webites have info on cults. You may find something there.
Derrick Main
http://www.rickross.com/ dead link
http://www.freedomofmind.com/
http://www.csj.org/ dead link
Just one thing seems odd here...if Seiji Takeoka was convicted of wiretapping in the early eighties, why does he now hold a position as a Vice President of the Soka Gakkai??
Are we in the habit of entrusting such wiretappers and blackmailers with senior leadership positions?
David Johnson noted, "Are we in the habit of entrusting such wiretappers and blackmailers with senior leadership positions?"
There have been stories of yakuza who have joined SGI, and there must be some members with a criminal past in an organization of 10,000,000. It would not be surprising that if they seemed to change their natures for good, became responsible citizens, and showed exemplary leadership skills, they would be entrusted with high organizational positions.
Let's track this and see how it pans out.
Mike Y.
Well, Reuters is following it now, and if you work in security in Information Technology, it's a huge topic...for those interested:
http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/27/technology/yahoo_softbank.reut/ dead link
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/world/2004-02-27-softbank-leaks_x.htm?POE=TECISVA dead link
People are given to error and greed, and everyone sometimes succumbs to weaknesses, but it seems to me that it might be poor form to make a convicted wiretapper a SENIOR vice president... any verifiable links about the wire tapping charges someone can aim me at?
And does the SGI currently have any memos/policies regarding felons holding positions of responsibility? Just curious. I searched the SGI-USA site, but could find no info on this topic.
On the Leadership Applicatiopn From there is no box for, "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" and I have never heard of someone being asked the question. However, since the question was never asked, no one said they had.