On January 31, 1996, his second oldest brother, Chojun OTANI who was the director of the Honganji Foundation, seceded from the Otani school, because of discord with its Naikyoku (intra-ministerial bureau), along with his oldest son, Narishige OTANI, who was the chief priest at the time (A time known as Ohigashi-sodo Strife).
1996年（平成8年）1月31日、次兄で財団法人本願寺維持財団理事長の大谷暢順が、真宗大谷派内局との確執（「お東騒動」）から、暢順の長男で当時の門首であった大谷業成らとともに真宗大谷派から離脱。