I joined Kenshokai in January 2005 with my mother.
I was born and raised on *Miyako Island, and during my elementary and junior high school years, I devoted myself to basketball. I had a fulfilling school life, and dreamed of becoming a Coast Guard officer in the future.
(*Miyako Island: 3.5 hours from Tokyo Haneda airport. Miyako Island is located between Taiwan and the main island of Okinawa.)
In May 2004, soon after entering high school, I suddenly developed numerous ulcers in my mouth. I had a cough, fever, and other symptoms.
After an urgent visit to the hospital, I was diagnosed with acute leukemia.
Leukemia is “cancer of the blood” with a very high mortality rate. When I was told of this fact, I felt as if my hopes and dreams for the future would disappear. I was devastated.
I was informed that I would be spending the rest of my life in the hospital continuing painful anti-cancer drug treatment.
During my hospitalization, Ms. Kawamitsu from Kenshokai, a nurse in the ward, told me about Nichiren Daishonin Buddha.
After hearing Ms. Kawamitsu’s words of confidence: “With this true Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo, your prayers will be answered”, I was hopeful.
I joined Kenshokai with my mother wholeheartedly. I told her “I want to be cured of this disease!
My mother and I began sincerely praying Yohai Gongyo on the hospital bed.
Then, to my surprise, I felt a strong life force spring up, and my condition got better day by day.
I was discharged from the hospital within two months after I joined Kenshokai and was able to return to school!
Even if you don’t know the meaning of Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo, it will work because it’s the true medicine for the soul, said Asai Sensei. I am now convinced that he is right!
The Daishonin said:
“Now I have this great medicine ready for you to take. No need to worry about it not working.”
I belonged to an environmental club in high school. Research activities with the members focused on groundwater in Miyako Island.
The results of our research earned us the honor of being the first Japanese club to be awarded the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP)!
This grand prize is also called the “Water Nobel Prize”.
It is awarded to youth around the world for outstanding research results, and I was very surprised that despite being limited in activity due to my illness, we were able to win Japan’s first Grand Prize!
I was confident in the Gohonzon-sama!
However, perhaps due to the depth of my own fate, in the latter half of August of last year, my leukemia symptoms, which had once been in a state of lull, began to worsen rapidly.
I was transferred again to a hospital on the main island of Okinawa for further evaluation.
The doctor said to my mother: “Your son has three to six months to live and he would probably never leave this hospital alive.”
When I received the news, I was so shocked that my mind went blank, and I couldn’t stand up.
But then, slowly, as I calmed down, I became more and more confident that “Daishonin-sama is with me, so everything will be alright!”.
At that time, the Kenshokai Men’s convention was just a week away. I was more eager to attend this meeting than worrying about my own illness.
Knowing that I would face opposition, I asked my doctor for permission to go to the convention and stay overnight.
The doctor said, ” Leaving the hospital would be suicidal. I can’t allow you to do that!”
I said, “I only have six months to live. I want to attend the Men’s meeting and make my life memorable. Please fulfill my last wish!”
I kept trying to convince him.
Fortunately, two days before the convention, I was permitted to stay out overnight, and was able to attend the convention with my mother.
During the meeting, I felt extremely sick and at one point had to lie down in the break room.
I knew that this would be the last time I would hear Asai Sensei’s teaching, so I returned to my seat in the hall and listened to his entire speech intensely.
Asai Sensei stated that future invasion is imminent, as predicted by Nichiren Daishonin in his “Rissho Ankoku Ron.
He further stated that the 2020s are the time of invasion from the West as the Pentagon report reveals that “China’s insane military expansion and the unprecedented number of weather disasters that will continue until 2020 will cause political insecurity and trigger wars.
Then, he expressed his firm determination as follows:
“When Kenshokai, the true ally of Nichiren Daishonin, unite 3 million people and admonish the nation, our country will be saved no matter what!”
I was overwhelmed by the scale of the True Buddha’s teaching to make Japan and the world into a land of tranquility through the realization of Nichiren Daishonin’s last will and testament.
I could not stop the tears from running down my face.
Then Asai Sensei continued:
“Now we are born on the eve of Kosenrufu to help the Daishonin’s last will and testament. We were all born to fulfill this mission.”
A fighting spirit ran through my body.
I said to myself “Even if my life is short, I am determined to continue my faith until the end of my life and fulfill my mission as an ally of Nichiren Daishonin!”
From that day on, the anti-cancer treatment, which was more painful than ever, began.
The doctor who saw me continue my painful treatment told my mother:
“There is no cure for this type of leukemia, and there is nothing more we can do. I recommend that rather than suffer the side effects, do nothing, and just let him die peacefully.”
I refused to give up until the very end no matter the outcome! I strongly requested the anticancer drug treatment.
The treatment was the most painful imaginable.
I endured the hair loss caused by side effects and the nausea that attacked me daily.
In my fading consciousness, I asked my mother to put the prayer beads in my hands and was desperately trying to do the Gongyo prayer in a voiceless voice in the sterile room.
Starting around that time, my symptoms began to change drastically.
When the doctor saw the test results two months after starting treatment, he exclaimed excitedly, “Impossible! The entire blood work has drastically improved!”
Then he said, “This is nothing short of a miracle!” With tears in his eyes, he shook my hand.
I learned that Shakubuku (sharing Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo with others) is the most effective way to erase bad Karma. So, during my hospitalization, I Shakubuku my classmates who came from Miyako Island to visit me.
Also, I got permission to go out and visit my friends one after another to share the power of the Gohonzon sama!
My condition improved after that.
In January of 2006, two months earlier than planned, I underwent “bone marrow transplant surgery,” the last treatment for leukemia.
Because the bone marrow was donated by a non-blood relative, the success rate of the surgery was low, less than 50%, and even if it succeeded, rejection was expected to occur.
I was told that after surgery was the determining factor between life and death.
Before the surgery, I received a phone call from Mr. Nakayama, a leader from Kenshokai to encourage me. I went into the surgery with a firm determination to believe in the Daishonin until the very end no matter what happened to me.
The day after the surgery I was feeling well and did not experience any of the rejection that had been a concern.
The biosynthesis of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow, which normally takes about a month, began in just 10 days in my case!
My doctor was amazed and said, “I’ve never seen a patient recover so quickly!”
Finally, in April of 2006, my leukemia was completely cured, and I was transferred to a hospital in Okinawa!
I am currently undergoing antimicrobial treatment to eliminate viral infections and total treatment to increase my body’s resistance. I will be released from the hospital soon.
Now that I fully recovered my strength, I have permission to go out every day.
It is a dream come true to be able to chant at the prayer hall with my leader and to talk to my friends about Buppo.
The stronger my certainty in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buppo becomes, the more I want to be grateful for this disease called “Leukemia”!
If I had been an ordinary high school boy, I might have lived a life of aimlessness, not knowing what my future purpose would be. Because of my Leukemia, I was able to learn about Nichiren Daishonin’s Buppo.
I am so thankful that I was able to experience the power of the Gohonzon-sama through my own illness!
I am determined to save everyone in my home island of Miyako by teaching the fundamental solution, Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo!
Thank you!:)
Wataru
From Okinawa General Meeting – September 6th, 2006 at Okinawa Convention Center
Unbreakable Happiness 