Editing Francis Xavier (section)

===Japan===
{{main|History of the Catholic Church in Japan}}
[[File:Virgin Mary with Infant Jesus and Her Fifteen Mysteries, Loyola and Francis Xavier Kyoto University Museum.png|thumb|''Virgin Mary with Infant Jesus and Her Fifteen Mysteries'' by an unknown Japanese artist, c. 1600. Bottom centre: Ignatius of Loyola (left) and Francis Xavier (right)]]
In Malacca in December 1547, Francis Xavier met a Japanese man named [[Anjirō]].{{sfn|Astrain|1909}} Anjirō had heard of Francis in 1545 and had travelled from [[Kagoshima]] to Malacca to meet him. Having been charged with murder, Anjirō had fled Japan. He told Francis extensively about his former life, and the customs and culture of his homeland. Anjirō became the first Japanese Christian and adopted the name 'Paulo de Santa Fe'. He later helped Xavier as a mediator and interpreter for the mission to Japan that now seemed much more possible.

In January 1548 Francis returned to Goa to attend to his responsibilities as superior of the mission there.{{sfn|Wintz|2006b}} The next 15 months were occupied with various journeys and administrative measures. He left Goa on 15 April 1549, stopped at Malacca, and visited [[Guangzhou|Canton]]. He was accompanied by Anjirō, two other Japanese men, Father [[Cosme de Torres]] and Brother [[Juan Fernández (missionary)|Juan Fernández]]. He had taken with him presents for the "[[Emperor of Japan|King of Japan]]" since he intended to introduce himself as the [[Apostolic Nuncio]].

Europeans [[List of Westerners who visited Japan before 1868|had already visited Japan]]. The [[António Mota|Portuguese first landed in 1543]] on the island of [[Tanegashima]], where they introduced [[Tanegashima (gun)|matchlock firearms]] to Japan.{{sfn|Pacheco|1974|pp= 477–480}}

From Amboina, he wrote to his companions in Europe: "I asked a Portuguese merchant, ... who had been for many days in Anjirō's country of Japan, to give me ... some information on that land and its people from what he had seen and heard. ...All the Portuguese merchants coming from Japan tell me that if I go there I shall do great service for God our Lord, more than with the pagans of India, for they are a very reasonable people." (To His Companions Residing in Rome, From Cochin, 20 January 1548, no. 18, p. 178).{{sfn|Zuloaga}}

Francis Xavier reached Japan on 27 July 1549, with Anjirō and three other Jesuits, but he was not permitted to enter any port his ship arrived at until 15 August,{{sfn|Pacheco|1974|pp= 477–480}} when he went ashore at [[Kagoshima]], the principal port of [[Satsuma Province]] on the island of [[Kyūshū]]. As a representative of the Portuguese king, he was received in a friendly manner. [[Shimazu Takahisa]] (1514–1571), ''[[daimyō]]'' of Satsuma, gave a friendly reception to Francis on 29 September 1549, but in the following year he forbade the conversion of his subjects to Christianity under penalty of death; Christians in Kagoshima could not be given any catechism in the following years. The Portuguese missionary Pedro de Alcáçova would later write in 1554:

{{blockquote|In Cangoxima, the first place Father Master Francisco stopped at, there were a good number of Christians, although there was no one there to teach them; the shortage of labourers prevented the whole kingdom from becoming Christian.|source={{harvnb|Pacheco|1974|pp= 477–480}} }}

[[File:Francis_Xavier_and_Anjirō_and_Bernardo_the_Japanese_in_Xavier_Park.jpg|thumb|'Statue of Francisco Xavier, [[Anjirō|Yajiro]] & [[Bernardo the Japanese|Bernardo]] in Kagoshima in Xavier Park, [[Kagoshima]]]]

Francis was the first Jesuit to go to Japan as a missionary.{{sfn|Endo|1969|p=vii|loc=Translator's Preface}} He brought with him paintings of the [[Madonna and Child (Duccio, Metropolitan)|Madonna and the Madonna and Child]]. These paintings were used to help teach the Japanese about Christianity. There was a huge language barrier as [[Japanese language|Japanese]] was unlike other languages the missionaries had previously encountered. For a long time, Francis struggled to learn the language.{{sfn|Lang|2019}} He was hosted by Anjirō's family until October 1550.{{sfn|Butler}} From October to December 1550, he resided in [[Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi|Yamaguchi]]. Shortly before Christmas, he left for [[Kyoto]] but failed to meet with [[Emperor Go-Nara]]. He returned to Yamaguchi in March 1551, where the daimyō of the province gave him permission to preach.

Having learned that evangelical poverty did not have the appeal in Japan that it had in Europe and in India, he decided to change his approach. Hearing after a time that a Portuguese ship had arrived at a port in the province of Bungo in Kyushu and that the prince there would like to see him, Xavier now set out southward. The Jesuit, in a fine cassock, surplice, and stole, was attended by thirty gentlemen and as many servants, all in their best clothes.<ref name=crawley />

Five of them bore on cushions valuable articles, including a portrait of Our Lady and a pair of velvet slippers, not for the prince, but solemn offerings to Xavier, to impress the onlookers with his eminence. Handsomely dressed, with his companions acting as attendants, he presented himself before Oshindono, the ruler of Nagate, and as a representative of the great Kingdom of Portugal, offered him letters and presents: a musical instrument, a watch, and other attractive objects which had been given him by the authorities in India for the emperor.<ref name=crawley />

For forty-five years the Jesuits were the only missionaries in Asia, but the [[Franciscans]] began proselytizing in Asia, as well. Christian missionaries were later forced into exile, along with their assistants. However, some were able to stay behind. Christianity was then kept underground so as to not be persecuted.{{sfn|Vlam|1979|p=}}{{pageneeded|date=March 2025}}

The Japanese people were not easily converted. Many of the people were already [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] or [[Shinto]]. Francis tried to combat the reservations of some of the Japanese. Many mistakenly interpreted Catholic doctrine as teaching that demons had been created evil, and they thus concluded the God who had created them could not be good. Much of Francis' preaching was devoted to providing answers to this and other such challenges. In the course of these discussions, Francis grew to respect the rationality and general literacy of those Japanese people whom he encountered. He expressed optimism at the prospect of converting the country.{{sfn|Ellis|2003|p=}}{{pageneeded|date=March 2025}}{{sfn|Xavier|1992|p=}}{{pageneeded|date=March 2025}}<ref name="fordham">{{cite web|url=http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1552xavier4.html |title= St. Francis Xavier: Letter from Japan, to the Society of Jesus in Europe, 1552 |publisher=fordham.edu|access-date=6 April 2015}}</ref>

Xavier was welcomed by the [[Shingon]] monks since he used the word ''[[Vairocana|Dainichi]]'' for the Christian God; attempting to adapt the concept to local traditions. As Xavier learned more about the religious nuances of the word, he changed to ''Deusu''{{sfn|Butler}} from the Latin and Portuguese ''Deus''. The monks later realised that Xavier was preaching a rival religion and grew more resistant towards his attempts at conversion.

[[File:Nasugbu 31 (New Church Altar).JPG|thumb|The Altar of St. Francis Xavier Parish in [[Nasugbu, Batangas]], Philippines. Saint Francis is the principal patron of the town, together with [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Our Lady of Escalera]].]]
With the passage of time, his sojourn in Japan could be considered somewhat fruitful as attested by congregations established in [[Hirado]], Yamaguchi, and [[Bungo Province|Bungo]]. Xavier worked for more than two years in Japan and saw his successor-Jesuits established. He then decided to return to India. Historians debate the exact path by which he returned, but from evidence attributed to the captain of his ship, he may have travelled through Tanegeshima and Minato, and avoided Kagoshima because of the hostility of the daimyo.{{sfn|Pacheco|1974|pp= 477–480}}