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Why are only Catholic sites included in the property? |
Catholicism is the first Christian faith that was brought to Japan in the 16th century by European missionaries who took passage in Portuguese merchants’ ships coming to Japan. In the 17th century, Japan began trade also with the Netherlands and England, who were Protestant rather than Catholic. They came only for commercial purposes without missionaries on board, so Protestantism didn’t spread in Japan.
After the lifting of the ban on Christianity in 1873, both Catholic and Protestant missionaries were active in Japan. Many Hidden Christians rejoined the Catholic Church rather than Protestant Church. As a result, our property in the Nagasaki region only consists of Catholic sites that are related with the Hidden Christians’ tradition. |
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