ARCHDIOCESE OF NAGASAKI (Nagasaki)

Archbishop

Predecessors

• Most Rev. Bernard Petitjean, M.E.P. 1866-1884
• Most Rev. Joseph Marie Laucaigne, M.E.P. 1884-1885
• Most Rev. Jules Alphonse Cousin, M.E.P. 1885-1911
• Most Rev. Jean Claude Combaz, M.E.P. 1912-1926
• Most Rev. Januarius Kyunosuke Hayasaka 1927-1937
• Most Rev. Paul Aijiro Yamaguchi 1937-1968
• Most Rev. Joseph Asajiro Satowaki 1969-1990
• Most Rev. Francis Xavier Kaname Shimamoto 1990-2002
• Most Rev. Joseph Mitsuaki Takami, S.S. 2002-2021

History

The origins of Nagasaki Diocese date to 1866 when Bishop Bernard Petitjean, M.E.P, who was appointed to head the Apostolic Vicariate of Japan, relocated the residence of the vicariate from Yokohama to Nagasaki. In 1876, when the Apostolic Vicariate of Japan was divided into Northern and Southern Apostolic Vicariates, Bishop Petitjean served as the Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Japan, which had jurisdiction over the Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu regions. In 1888, when the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Japan was established, the three regions of Kinki, Chugoku and Shikoku were committed to it. The jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Japan was only the Kyushu region. On June 15, 1891, the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Japan was raised to the status of a Diocese and constituted Nagasaki Diocese.
On March 18, 1927, Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures were incorporated into the newly established Apostolic Prefecture of Kagoshima. On July 16 of the same year, separated from the Paris Foreign Mission Society, Nagasaki Diocese became the first diocese under a Japanese ordinary and had jurisdiction over only Nagasaki prefecture, after the 5 prefectures of Fukuoka, Saga, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Oita were incorporated into the newly established Fukuoka Diocese. Fr. Kyunosuke Hayasaka was appointed ordinary and on October 30 of the same year became the first Japanese to be consecrated bishop. With the resignation of Bishop Hayasaka in 1937, Fr. Aijiro Yamaguchi became the ordinary and was consecrated bishop.
On May 14, 1959, Nagasaki Diocese was elevated to the rank of an Archdiocese, and Bishop Yamaguchi was appointed the first Archbishop of Nagasaki. With the resignation of Archbishop Yamaguchi, Bishop Asajiro Satowaki of Kagoshima was appointed to succeed him on December 19, 1968. He was installed as Archbishop of Nagasaki on March 16 of the following year. In 1978 Fr. Hisajiro Matsunaga was consecrated auxiliary Bishop of Nagasaki. On June 30, 1979, Archbishop Satowaki was created the third Japanese Cardinal. On February 8, 1990, Cardinal Satowaki resigned as archbishop and Bishop Kaname Shimamoto, Bishop of Urawa, was appointed his successor. He was installed on May 8 of the same year. On January 15, 1991, Bishop Matsunaga was installed as Bishop of Fukuoka.
Sulpician Fr. Mitsuaki Takami was appointed auxiliary bishop of Nagasaki on January 23, 2002 and ordained bishop on April 29 of the same year.
Archbishop Shimamoto died on August 31, 2002 and the episcopacy was vacant. On October 4, 2003, Auxiliary Bishop Takami was appointed Archbishop of Nagasaki and installed on December 14, 2003.
Sulpician Fr.Michiaki Nakamura was appointed auxiliary bishop of Nagasaki on May 31, 2019 and ordained bishop on September 16 of the same year.
On December 28, 2021, the resignation of Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami was accepted and Auxiliary Bishop Michiaki Nakamura was named as Archbishop of Nagasaki and installed on February 23, 2022.