Page 70 The idea of raising 50 million dollars was Watanabe's brain child originating from his conversation before the war with His Holliness Otani Kozui, the spiritual head of the Higashi Buddhist Sect.
His Holliness Otani, with whom Watanabe conferred in November, 1941, when the latter was formulating a general framework of military administrative policy, suggested the feasability of such an idea.57
57 Interview with Watanabe, July 9, 1966. Otani drafted for Watanabe post-war plans for the administration of Malaya, Draft Plans for the Disposition of the Malay Peninsula. In this draft, however, there was no mention of extorting money from Chinese communities. See, Otani Kozui, Marei Hanto zengo shori hoan, n.d. Marked "Secret."
Page 70
The idea of raising 50 million dollars was Watanabe's brain child originating from his conversation before the war with His Holliness Otani Kozui, the spiritual head of the Higashi Buddhist Sect.
His Holliness Otani, with whom Watanabe conferred in November, 1941, when the latter was formulating a general framework of military administrative policy, suggested the feasability of such an idea.57
57
Interview with Watanabe, July 9, 1966. Otani drafted for Watanabe post-war plans for the administration of Malaya, Draft Plans for the Disposition of the Malay Peninsula. In this draft, however, there was no mention of extorting money from Chinese communities. See, Otani Kozui, Marei Hanto zengo shori hoan, n.d. Marked "Secret."
Otani Kozui was the 22nd Abbot of Nishi (not Higashi) Honganji for about 10 years in the early 20th century.