Japan | Misc | The Blood Liberation League

The Blood Liberation League

The Blood Liberation League (血の解放同盟, Chi-no-kaihō dōmei) is an extremist Buddhist-nationalist terrorist organization, founded in 1959 by Tatsuo Kitade and several former members of the disbanded Soka Gakkai religious movement, following the school of Nichiren Buddhism. Although the Soka Gakkai prohibits violence, as do Buddhist scriptures, the Holy Manifesto of the BLL declared that violence must be temporarily used to spread Nichiren's teachings in spite of the "authoritarian Japanese government". It takes inspiration from previous iterations of Buddhist extremism, such as the Ikkō-ikki rebels of the 16th century or Nissho Inoue's League of Blood in the 1930s, which also drew heavily upon Inoue's own brand of fascist-nationalist Nichiren Buddhism. Inoue today has no relation to Tatsuo Kitade's group, which is mostly made up of young members.

The BLL equally decries the left-wing parties (the JCP and Socialist Party) and the right-wing parties (the ruling CDP and the far-right populist Kokumin Domei). It calls for the worldwide spread of Nichiren Buddhism, "united under a Japanese roof".

"The mercy of Buddha should be recompensed even by pounding flesh to pieces. One's obligation to the Teacher should be recompensed even by smashing bones to bits!"
- Blood Liberation League Holy Manifesto, drawing upon a 16th-century slogan.