Nikken Abe

[citation needed] Before becoming High Priest, he served as the head of the doctrinal department of Nichiren Shoshu and as such was involved in the compilation of many of the school's publications.

As High Priest, Abe affirmed the permanent expulsion of the Soka Gakkai on 28 November 1991 and was known for the destruction of the "Sho Hondo" in 1997 and the return of the Head Temple Taiseki-ji to earlier traditional and orthodox practices that were prevalent up to 1970.

After his return from duty with the Japanese Imperial Navy, he served as chief priest of three temples:[citation needed] He was appointed head of the school's Kyōgakubu (office of doctrinal orthodoxy, often rendered Taisekiji Study Department) in 1961.

[citation needed] Abe also initiated and oversaw the publication of the following Taiseki-ji publications: In December 1980, Abe's succession to the position of high priest was challenged by a group of Nichiren Shoshu priests belonging to the Shoshinkai after he excommunicated five of them for disobeying repeated admonitions to cancel a massive anti-Soka Gakkai rally (August 1980) and to stop attacking the Soka Gakkai, a lay organization formerly chartered by Nichiren Shoshu.

[citation needed] Abe worked to restore the Nichiren Shoshu faith to what he saw as an orthodoxy that he felt had been lost during the school's association with Soka Gakkai.

In conjunction with some of the anniversary celebrations mentioned above, he had a bare-concrete building removed and a plaza and garden built in its place, as well as several quickly-built concrete lodgings replaced with two modern structures.

Its construction was completed in 1972 largely through the efforts and financial donations of Soka Gakkai members, and it was regarded as a notable work of contemporary Japanese architecture.

[citation needed] Additional views claim that Abe's decision to expel the Soka Gakkai was part of a personal vendetta against Daisaku Ikeda due to the following issues:[citation needed] However, Nichiren Shoshu insists that the issue behind the demolition of the Shohondo and the subsequent erection on the same site of a new high sanctuary, the Hoando, was a necessary step in establishing a building based on correct orthodox faith in Nichiren Shoshu.

[citation needed] Abe was one of the few high priests in Nichiren Shoshu's history, after Nikko Shonin (1246-1333), to reach 80 years of age while actively serving in the position.

[citation needed] In later years Abe continued to participate in the Gokaihi ceremonies (direct audiences with the Dai-Gohonzon) in both November and April, the most important months in the Nichiren Shoshu calendar.