Matsudo, Japan - The 71-year-old head priest of a Zen Buddhist temple here misappropriated at least 13 million yen that followers supplied for a new temple building, it has emerged.
Followers at Choyoji Temple, which belongs to the Soto Zen sect of Buddhism, have filed a criminal complaint against the priest, whose name has been withheld, and law enforcers are investigating his actions.
A new main building was constructed at the temple in 2001 and followers put in 42 million yen to pay for the work. However, suspicious arose about the way the money was being used and when followers investigated, they reportedly found that funds had been misappropriated.
When questioned by the Mainichi, the priest admitted that he had spent about 13 million yen of the money.
"I used about 13 million yen on entertainment and living expenses," he said.
After followers who formed a group to improve the temple carried out their own investigations, they concluded that the amount was about 19 million yen, and filed a criminal complaint.
The group reported the priest's alleged actions to a council at the head of the Soto sect, requested that he be removed from his position, but the council turned them away, reportedly saying, "He has admitted having misappropriated the money, but he has promised to pay it back."
In response, the group went to another head priest at another Soto Zen temple and had that priest perform their ceremonies in place of the 71-year-old priest at Choyoji temple. The 71-year-old priest has reportedly not performed ceremonies for over 2 1/2 years.
When the Soto sect council was questioned by the Mainichi over the priest's actions, it did not offer comment.
"We do not disclose such matters to outsiders," a council representative said.