Unimaginable Things That Happened to Christians in Japan
The persecution of Christians in Japan.
The introduction of Christianity to Japan in the mid-16th century marked a significant cultural and religious shift. Portuguese traders, including notable figures like Fernao Mendes Pinto, were the first to bring Christian missionaries to Japan.
The arrival of Francis Xavier, a co-founder of the Jesuit order, in 1549 in Kagoshima on the island of Kyushu marked the formal beginning of Christian missionary work in Japan.
Adapting to their new environment, Xavier and his colleagues translated Christian texts into Japanese and began proselytizing. Their efforts were initially concentrated in Kyushu, as Kyoto’s political and religious center remained closed to Christian preaching. Christianity appealed particularly to the lower societal classes, offering a contrast to the existing feudal system dominated by the Samurai.
Despite its initial acceptance, the spread of Christianity soon raised concerns among Japanese feudal lords and the ruling shogunate (hereditary military dictatorship). By the early 17th century, Christianity’s growing influence, coupled with the political and religious ambitions of European powers, particularly Portugal and Spain, led to suspicions about threats to Japanese sovereignty and…
