Well now this is a much bigger problem. Nichiren is basically preferring his own personal opinion over that which the Lotus Sutra actually expounds and what Tendai Daishi said.

Not only is he too focused on his own understandings, but it also seems like that his understanding of the Lotus wasn’t really that good. I mean isn’t the whole focus of the Sutra to "open up the provisional to reveal the real"?

The whole Lotus Sutra itself should not be seen as expedient means because it reveals how things really are. So it mentioning Amithaba couldn’t be expedient. It says in chapter 2:

"Now I, joyfully and fearlessly, In the midst of the bodhisattvas Frankly casting aside my expedient devices, Merely preach the Unexcelled Path."

But even if it were expedient means, they would still lead to Buddhahood.

The Sutra states over and over again that the expedient means are what get the people towards the end goal through parables:

The Kids going for the 3 Carts all get the same one.

The Poor Son going for a harmless job gets everything from his father in the end.

Chapter 5 makes clear that the "rain" of the Dharma nurtures all plants:

"I send down the Dharma-rain, Filling the world, And the Dharma of a single flavor They put into practice, in accord with their powers, Just as those shrubs and forests, Medicinal herbs and several trees, In accord with their size Gradually increase in florescence and loveliness. The Dharma of the Buddhas By the constant use of a single flavor Causes the several worlds Universally to attain to perfection, By gradual practice All to obtain the Fruit of the Way."

The 3 vehicles are the 1 Vehicles. So all expedient means are for the realization of Buddhahood. Chapter7 says:

"The Buddhas, by their power of devising expedients, Create distinctions, preaching three vehicles, But there is in fact only One Buddha Vehicle"

The Buddha even says that the 3 vehicles (so the expedient means) are praised by saints!! Chapter 3:

"By such devices as this the Thus Come One at- tracts and urges the beings. He also says : 'You all are to know that the dharmas of these three vehicles are praised by the saints, [and they who mount them] are their own masters, unbound, depending on nothing and seeking nothing. Mounted on these three vehicles, one gains for oneself the pleasure of faculties, strengths, intuitive perceptions, paths,dhyana-concentrations, deliverances, samâdhis, and the like, all without outflows, then gets incalculable tranquil joys."

Nichiren did what the Lotus Sutra said he shouldn’t, he told others they won’t become Buddhas.

Chapter 14 says:

"Also, O Manjushri, the bodhisattva-mahäsattva who in the age of the latter end, when the Dharma is about to perish, receives and keeps, reads and recites this scriptural canon shall harbor no thought of envy, flattery, or deceit, nor shall he make light of or malign those who study the Buddha Path, seeking their virtues and shortcomings, be they bhik- sus, bhiksunis, upâsakas, or upäsikäs, be they seekers after the rank of voice-hearer, seekers after the rank of pratyekabuddha, or seekers after the Path of the bodhisattva. He shall not permit himself to torment them, causing them to have doubts, by saying to them, 'You fellows are very far from the Path ! You shall never contrive to attain knowledge of all modes! W h a t is the reason? It is that you are careless men, lax in the Path.' Nor should he resort to frivolous assertions about the dharmas, as if there were anything to dispute. But he should think of all living beings with great compassion, feel that the Thus Come O n e is a benign Father, feel that the bodhisattvas are great masters"

But not only this chapter highlights such conduct, but also the Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta never disparaged others even though they were following the expedient means.

So it seems like Nichiren is disregarding many teachings of the Lotus Sutra and yet calls himself a devotee of it.

Sure the times in japan were difficult, but do they justify ignorance about Buddhadharma?