This committee cooperates with the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. It was originally established in 1986 as the Special Committee for Investigating the Canonization of Martyrs with the aim of promoting the beatification of Father Peter Kibe and his 187 fellow martyrs.
In June 2014, it became a standing committee and was renamed the Committee for Promoting
Canonization.
The committee’s main responsibilities include promoting canonization processes undertaken by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, advising and supporting the canonization movements of individual dioceses and religious orders, and promoting venerationof Japan’s saints, blesseds and venerables.
(Chairman) Yoshinao Otsuka