DIOCESE OF YOKOHAMA (Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Nagano, Yamanashi)

Bishop

Predecessors

• Most Rev. Jean Alexis Chambon, M.E.P. 1938-1940
• Msgr. Joachim Miyoichi Ideguchi 1941-1943
• Msgr. Lawrence Tatewaki Toda 1944-1945
• Most Rev. Peter Tatsuo Doi (Served concomitantly as Bishop of Tokyo) 1945-1947
• Most Rev. Thomas Asagoro Wakita 1947-1951
• Most Rev. Lucas Katsusaburo Arai 1952-1979
• Most Rev. Stephen Fumio Hamao 1980-1998

History

On November 9, 1937, the eight prefectures of Kanagawa, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gumma, Saitama, Yamanashi, Nagano and Shizuoka were separated from Tokyo Archdiocese and Yokohama Diocese was established. Archbishop Jean Alexis Chambon, M.E.P., who had been Archbishop of Tokyo, was appointed the first ordinary. On January 4, 1939, the Apostolic Prefecture of Urawa was established including the 4 prefectures of Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gumma. When Archbishop Chambon retired in 1941, Msgr. Miyoichi Ideguchi, and then, from 1944, Msgr. Tatewaki Toda served as Apostolic Administrator of Yokohama Diocese. With the death of Msgr. Toda, Archbishop Doi of Tokyo served at the same time as ordinary of Yokohama Diocese from 1945. However, in 1947, Fr. Asagoro Wakita was consecrated Bishop of Yokohama. In 1951 Bishop Wakita resigned, and Fr. Katsusaburo Arai was appointed Bishop of Yokohama. He was consecrated bishop on February 24, 1952 and retired in 1979. On October 30, 1979, Bishop Fumio Hamao, Auxiliary Bishop of Tokyo, was appointed Bishop of Yokohama. He was installed on January 15, 1980.
On June 15, 1998, Pope John Paul II named Bishop Hamao as President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People at the Vatican. With this appointment, Bishop Hamao relinquished the office of Bishop of Yokohama. He was succeeded by Fr. Masahiro Umemura, who was appointed March 16, 1999. He was consecrated bishop on May 15 of the same year and continues to serve as Bishop of Yokohama.