[T]he people today in Japan are all guilty of slandering the True Dharma in previous existences, and they are committing the same grave sin in this life by harming the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra. As a result, they are all destined to fall into the Hell of Incessant Suffering. However, the Nirvana Sūtra preaches the doctrine of “reducing the karmic retribution,” showing the way to atone for serious sins committed in the past in this life. The “Peaceful Practices” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra also preaches that Never Despising Bodhisattva extinguished the sin of slandering the True Dharma for himself and others by enduring persecutions in this life. Likewise, the numerous persecutions I have endured are to save all the people in Japan from falling into the Hell of Incessant Suffering. Successive natural calamities that confront the country of Japan and the threat of foreign invasion of Japan are the means through which the Japanese people may reduce the karmic retribution for their sin of slandering the True Dharma in the past existences.

Hōren-shō, Letter to Hōren, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 63