OSAKA (UCAN): A four-day visit to Japan by Vatican secretary of state, Pietro Cardinal Parolin marked a significant moment for both Vatican-Japanese relations and the country’s small but vibrant Catholic community.
The June 28 to July 1 visit, centred on the Holy See’s National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka, combined diplomacy, cultural outreach, and pastoral care, renewing the Catholic Church’s mission in a nation where Christians account for around 0.3 per cent of the 123 million people.
Cardinal Parolin, came to Japan to reaffirm the Vatican’s longstanding ties with the country and highlight shared commitments to peace and nuclear disarmament.
The Holy See has a pavilion in the ongoing World Expo, which opened in April with the theme, “Designing a future society for our lives.” The six-month-long programme, conceived as a global platform for collaboration and innovation to address current social challenges, is expected to attract around 28 million people when it culminates in October.
The cardinal’s presence at the Holy See Pavilion at Expo 2025 represented nearly five centuries of Vatican-Japanese relations, dating back to the arrival of early Jesuit missionaries.
Cardinal Parolin underscored joint efforts by the Vatican and Japan to limit the uncontrolled proliferation of armaments, a topic especially resonant in a nation that remains the only one to have suffered atomic bombings
In his speech during the National Day, Cardinal Parolin underscored joint efforts by the Vatican and Japan to limit the uncontrolled proliferation of armaments, a topic especially resonant in a nation that remains the only one to have suffered atomic bombings.
The cardinal pointed to the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings as a reminder of the urgent need for peace.
The Vatican secretary of state also promoted “beauty and hope,” the theme of the Holy See Pavilion, as universal values are needed more than ever in today’s turbulent world. His, along with Pope Leo XIV’s, call to “build bridges,” “weave dialogue,” and “join hands to promote a persevering peace” aimed to inspire visitors beyond religious divides.
Cardinal Parolin’s visit elevated both diplomatic and pastoral priorities.
In separate meetings with prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, Princess Tomohito of Mikasa; and Crown Prince Akishino; the cardinal reaffirmed the Vatican’s commitment to peace and cooperation on pressing global issues, including the situations in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Korean Peninsula.
Both sides pledged to deepen collaboration on regional stability and humanitarian concerns.
When he asked the Vatican envoy to tell Pope Francis about Japan’s desire for a papal visit, the cardinal urged him to tell the pope himsel
The Holy See Pavilion drew thousands of mostly non-Christian visitors daily, providing a rare opportunity to showcase Catholic values through art and dialogue. Many visitors later expressed an interest in Christianity.
Celebrating Mass for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Cardinal Parolin inspired a multicultural congregation of Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and other Catholic communities.
Parishioners described the experience as “special and rare,” bringing renewed energy to their faith.
At the heart of the local Church’s welcome was Cardinal Manyo Maeda of Osaka-Takamatsu, who described the visit as a profound blessing.
“We are deeply grateful and honored that he is celebrating the Mass with us,” Cardinal Maeda said before the service, reflecting the joy and pride felt by Japan’s Catholic community.
He recalled the pivotal advice he once received from Cardinal Parolin. When he asked the Vatican envoy to tell Pope Francis about Japan’s desire for a papal visit, the cardinal urged him to tell the pope himself.
The visit also revitalised the local Church’s engagement with Japanese society. With many young Japanese exploring the Holy See Pavilion and later visiting the cathedral, there is new potential for dialogue about faith, ethics and the Church’s teachings on peace and human dignity
Inspired by those words, Cardinal Maeda personally appealed to the late pope, leading to the historic papal visit to Japan in 2019.
The Japanese cardinal’s warm relationship with Cardinal Parolin and leadership among Japan’s bishops highlighted the importance of collaboration between Rome and the local hierarchy.
Cardinal Parolin’s visit sent a powerful message to Japan’s small Catholic minority that Rome does not forget them, and their presence is vital in witnessing peace and compassion in Japanese society.
For clergy like Maeda and Father Peter Thoai, a Vietnamese Dominican priest serving at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Osaka, the cardinal’s visit underscored the role of both Japanese and migrant Catholics as modern missionaries, who are called to share faith through their lives and work.
“To walk the faith of migrant workers, to give them some motivation, we need that,” Father Thoai said, adding, “Vietnamese make up one of the largest groups of migrant workers in Japan. I always tell them we are here not only for economic reasons, but also to become a new generation of missionaries, migrant worker missionaries, witnesses of faith.”
The visit also revitalised the local Church’s engagement with Japanese society. With many young Japanese exploring the Holy See Pavilion and later visiting the cathedral, there is new potential for dialogue about faith, ethics and the Church’s teachings on peace and human dignity.
Finally, in the context of geopolitical tensions and calls for nuclear disarmament, the Vatican’s public support of Japan’s pacifist stance strengthened the moral dimension of international conversations. This offers Japanese Catholics a unique platform to advocate for peace and justice in a society still marked by its wartime past.
Cardinal Parolin’s visit reinforced the Vatican’s solidarity with Japan’s quest for peace, inspired the country’s diverse Catholic communities and created fresh avenues for cultural dialogue.
