On January 28, 2025, the lawsuit was served on the Defendants. In the lawsuit, The Plaintiffs self-proclaimed themselves "lifetime members" and postured they represented "temple membership". They accused the Board of illegally converting the temple to a non-membership organization without their knowledge and approval, back in 2018. Additionally, They accused the Board of gross negligence, destruction of religious artifacts, mismanagement of temple property and finances, not distributing membership lists, not providing New Year's parties.
A year prior, in February of 2024, concealed from the Board of Directors, Irene Hamasaki complained to the Nichiren Shu Headquarters in Japan, enumerating her grievances against the Board of Directors. Japan Headquarters - Shumuin - apparently declined active involvement. Also concealed, In that same year, March of 2024, Plaintiffs' Attorneys requested the Hawaii State Attorney General Office investigate the Board of Directors' actions. The AG's Office did not respond..
Plaintiffs' positions and accusations were countered by the Defendants' Attorneys showing by record, none of the Plaintiffs, except one, were members in 2018. Therefore, four of the five Plaintiffs had no standing to protest the Board's action in 2018. All five Plaintiffs could not represent temple membership, not having fulfilled legal requirements. As with the other Plaintiffs, the "one member" Plaintiff raised no issues for 7 years. The one and seven year Statutes of Limitation ended. Their incendiary complaints about the destruction of religious artifacts exemplified their abject ignorance of Nichiren Shu Buddhist practice. Consequently invoking the legal doctrine of Ecclesiastical Abstention. Civil Courts do not interfere with the belief and practice of a religious sect.
The Plaintiff Irene Hamasaki was caught in lie, through her own discovered email, requesting and denied "membership" in 2021 and 2022. She had signed under oath, a declaration claiming to be a "lifetime member", as well as in her lawsuit. One of the 19, included later in the lawsuit, signed a declaration, - on record in the lawsuit, along with the 19 other declarations, - claiming no knowledge of the 2018 meeting and the vote for a non-membership temple. But, he is shown present in a photograph taken at that very same meeting. His vote, in that meeting, recorded in favor of the change. Suggesting, after the 7 year statue of limitations, memories were unreliable..
On August 28, 2025, a Summary Judgement Hearing was convened, after two attempts at mediation. The presiding Judge, The Honorable Judge John M. Tonaki, concurred with the legal arguments of the Defendants' Attorneys. Judge Tonaki decreed Summary Judgement in favor of the Defendants. Dismissing all claims by the Plaintiffs. This judgement concluded the Plaintiffs' Lawsuit had no genuine issues of material fact, meaning it lacked any credibility or substantive facts.
All the legal documents in this case will be uploaded to this website, as a perpetual record of those who attempted to take control of The Lotus Sutra / Myohoji Temple, in 2025 AD, based on avarice and ignorance . All the documents are also on public and legal record for everyone to read.
The Board of Directors extends its thanks and appreciation to David Imanaka Esq. and Suhyeon Burns Esq, from The Law Firm of Lung, Rose, Voss and Wagnild. Mr. Imanaka and Ms. Burns were brilliant in their legal work, ultimately securing the Summary Judgement in favor of the Defendants, the Temple Board of Directors.
