This study examines the role of Buddhist peace narratives and practices, with particular attention to the intersections between religion, academic research, and civil engagement as developed through the Toda Peace Institute (TPI) in Tokyo. Situating the analysis within the interdisciplinary field of religion and peace studies, the paper explores how core Buddhist principles are translated into discursive and institutional frameworks that engage contemporary debates on peace, human security, disarmament, social justice, and global governance. Methodologically, the study draws on qualitative fieldwork conducted in Japan, combining institutional meetings with SGI's Peace Affairs Department and Soka University, semi-structured interviews with the Director of the Toda Peace Institute, Kevin Clementz, and senior research fellows, and participant observation during a public seminar organized by TPI. This empirical material enables an in-depth analysis of how a transnational religious actor constructs spaces of knowledge production that move beyond confessional boundaries and actively engage academic and policy-oriented communities. The research argues that the Toda Peace Institute serves as a key translational platform linking Buddhist ethical frameworks to secular peace discourses, thereby contributing to a reconfiguration of the public role of religion in global peace debates. In conclusion, the Japanese case is placed in dialogue with the Italian and broader European contexts, highlighting continuities, specificities, and critical insights into SGI's interreligious and civil outreach, and offering a nuanced contribution to understanding religious actors in contemporary peacebuilding in Italy and beyond.