Number of Catholics in Japan tops 1 million for first time

Published: 2005-03-08

TOKYO (CNS) -- The number of Catholics in Japan has topped 1 million for the first time, said a booklet from the Japanese bishops' commission for migrants, refugees and travelers. UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand, reported March 8 that the pamphlet "Catholic Church in Japan: Church, Living Together With Japanese and Foreigners," says 2004 began with more than 1 million Catholics in Japan. It breaks this figure down into nearly 450,000 Japanese and more than 565,000 foreign Catholics. During the 1999-2003 period, the number of Japanese Catholics remained substantially unchanged, but the number of foreign Catholics increased by more than 100,000. In 1999, they were approximately equal. While the number of Japanese Catholics is based on parish registration figures, the number of foreigners is an estimate, based on lists from the Ministry of Justice showing the number of foreigners registered in each part of the country and their nationality. The commission came up with a rough projection based upon the percentage of each country's population that is Catholic.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .