“Catholic Chuo Kyogikai” (The Catholic Conference of Japan) is a religious corporation established in accordance with the Religious Corporation Law of Japan.
Viewed historically, it was established in 1941 as “Nippon Tenshu Kokyo Kyodan” (The Japanese Catholic Religious Body), an organization including churches and religious orders, in accordance with the Law on Religious Bodies of 1940. Later, in 1945, with the promulgation and execution of the Religious Corporation Ordinance, it became “Tenshu Kokyo Kyoku Remmei”(The Catholic Inter-diocesan Federation), and it carried out the decisions of the Inter-diocesan Bishops’ Conference, and played roles for communication and coordination among dioceses, religious orders, and missionary orders, with the task of consultation and guidance concerning problems of evangelization. (In 1948 renamed as “Catholic Kyoku Remmei”). Then, with the promulgation and execution of the Religious Corporation Law in 1951, it became, in 1952, “Catholic Chuo Kyogikai”(The Catholic Conference of Japan), assuming a new post-war status and function. It became a religious corporation that embraces all parishes, religious houses, etc. throughout Japan.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan
The purposes of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan (hereafter: “Bishops’Conference”), as the standing organization specified by the Canon Law of the Catholic Church (canons 447-459), is to deliberate on matters of concern for the whole Church of Japan and to encourage activities in accordance with the needs of the times. The members are: 1) the diocesan bishops, their coadjutors, and auxiliaries, 2) those honorary bishops appointed by the Holy See or the Bishops’ Conference for particular tasks.
In the Bishops’ Conference there is a President, who is in overall charge and represents
the Conference, and a Vice-President to assist him. Their term is for three years, but they can be reappointed.
The Bishops’ Conference, in addition to Plenary Assemblies, has a Standing Committee, Special Committees and Sections directly under the Standing Committee (described later), an Episcopal Commission for Evangelization, Episcopal Commission for Social Issues, Episcopal Commission for Social Communications and its affiliated Permanent Committees and a General Secretariat. The present President and Vice-President assumed office on February 14, 2022 when the Ordinary Plenary Assembly of the year 2022 started.
The chairmen of committees assumed office on February 17, 2022 when the same Assembly closed. Their term is for three years.
(President) Isao Kikuchi
(Vice-President) Masahiro Umemura
(Members) The diocesan bishops, their auxiliaries, and honorary bishops
(Bishop in Charge) Yoshinao Otsuka
The Plenary Assemblies
The Plenary Assemblies are composed of all the members mentioned above. When one of the members cannot attend a Plenary Assembly, with the permission of the President, he may appoint a substitute. Substitutes have the right to speak, but do not have the right to vote.
Representatives (President and Vice-President) of the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious and the Conference of Major Superiors of Women Religious are invited to attend the Plenary Assemblies. The representatives have the right to speak, but do not have the right to vote.
There are both Ordinary and Extraordinary Plenary Assemblies. In addition, Special Extraordinary Plenary Assemblies may be held from time to time.
The Standing Committee
The Standing Committee is the executive organ of the Bishops’ Conference. When a plenary assembly is not in session, it represents the Bishops’ Conference and handles ordinary affairs. In addition to the President and Vice-President of the Bishops’ Conference, it consists of another five members chosen at a plenary assembly. The committee’s responsibilities include the smooth running of the Bishops’ Conference, the preparation of the agenda for the plenary assemblies, the execution of the decisions of the Bishops’ Conference, the preparation of the annual budget, the presentation of the statement of accounts, direction of the General Secretariat, etc. It meets monthly except August.
In addition, the Responsible Officers of the Religious Corporation, the Catholic Conference of Japan are the members of the Standing Committee, with the chairman as the Representative Member.
(Chairman) Isao Kikuchi
(Members) Masahiro Umemura, Michiaki Nakamura, Taiji Katsuya, Mitsuru Shirahama, Daisuke Narui, Shinzo Moriyama
Committees
- Committee for Finance
- Committee for Church Administration and Legislation
- Combined Committee for Bishops and Religious
- Committee for Implementation of the Guidelines for Minors
- Committee for the Ongoing Formation of Priests and Permanent Deacons
- Special Committee on Church Terminology
- Desk for the Korean – Japanese Bishops’ Colloquium
The Episcopal Commission for Evangelization
This Commission promotes evangelization in the Church in Japan in union with the universal Church in conjunction with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization.
This commission is composed of the bishops in charge of committees and departments directly related to evangelization and pastoral ministry. Under the leadership of its chairman, it oversees policies and practices to deliver the message of the gospel to modern society and support the Church’s diverse missionary activities.
(Chairman) Michiaki Nakamura
(Members) Mitsuru Shirahama, Hiroaki Nakano, Yoshinao Otsuka, Daisuke Narui,
Andrea Lembo, Michiaki Yamanouchi, Man’yo Maeda
Committees
The Episcopal Commission for Social Issues
This Commission promotes social evangelization in the Church of Japan in union with the
universal Church in conjunction with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
Under the leadership of its chairman, this Commission consists of the chairpersons of the Japan Catholic Council for Justice and Peace, the Committee against Buraku Discrimination through Human-Rights Approaches, and the Catholic Commission of Japan for Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move, as well as the bishops in Charge for the Section of protection of the Human Rights of Women and Children and the HIV/AIDS Section.
(Chairman) Shinzo Moriyama
(Members) Goro Matsuura, Wayne Francis Berndt, Edgar Gacutan
Committees
Episcopal Commission for Social Communications
This Commission promotes public relations in the Church of Japan in accordance with the public relations activities and mission of the universal Church and the Church in Asia in conjunction with the Dicastery for Communication and the Office of Social Communication of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). In addition, the Commission develops general policies for the public relations activities of the bishops’ conference to advance modern social communication as a means of evangelization that responds to the needs of the times.
(Chairman) Taiji Katsuya
(Bishop in Charge) Toshihiro Sakai
Committees
Operational body
Caritas Japan is now classified as an operational body. Until a decision of the extraordinary Bishops’ Conference meeting in February 2025, Caritas Japan was a committee under the Episcopal Commission for Social Issues. However, since it is an organization under the umbrella of Caritas Internationalis it is now positioned as an organization with guaranteed independence.