The Pope in Japan. Msgr. Kikuchi (Tokyo): “May it be a message of love and hope”

9.852: these are the kilometres that separate Rome from Tokyo. Japan, a distant, mysterious land, marked by unbridled modernism combined with the ancient roots of a sophisticated, thousand-year-old culture. The visit of Pope Francis from 23 to 26 November is “a dream come true.” Speaking to two Argentinean journalists, the then Archbishop Bergoglio revealed to them “his desire to go as a missionary to Japan, where the Jesuits have always been carrying out a very important ministry.” “Protect all life”, is the theme chosen for the visit. After Thailand, the Pope will visit Japan for three days with a rich program of meetings and events. From the (historic) meeting with Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace to the “Message on nuclear weapons” and the Meeting for Peace at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. We asked the Archbishop of Tokyo, Msgr. Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, to accompany us throughout the stages of this journey.

Your Excellency, how did Japan receive the news of this visit, and who is Pope Francis for the Japanese people?

Thirty-eight years have passed since John Paul II visited Japan in 1981. Here the Catholic Church represents a small minority, and therefore the population at large does not know who the Pope is. So our task now is to prepare this visit by explaining its meaning and making known who the Pope is and what he has done in the last 6 years. But our communication tools are limited. We have no Catholic TV or radio in Japan. The Internet is the only way to reach out to people.

What exactly does the private visit to the Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace represent for Japan?

The private visit to the Emperor is important because it shows people that the Vatican has good relations with Japanese society, not just with the government. People consider the Emperor as the symbol of the nation and, therefore, it is important to maintain good relations with him.

Why was “Protect all life” chosen as the theme of the visit?

Human life has been challenged for a long time, even in this country. Repeatedly, from its beginning to natural end. The Gospel of life is always necessary. It should not be forgotten that Pope Francis’ first pastoral visit outside Rome immediately after his election was to the island of Lampedusa. This Italian island, located in the Mediterranean, is famous for its proximity to the African continent and, hence, it serves as a reception centre for refugees. During the homily, the Pope said that we live in the globalization of indifference. Indifference leads to the protection of personal interests by making us deaf to the needs of people in need. That was the beginning of his message as Pope.

Respect for human life will be at the core of the Holy Father’s words and actions.

And for Japan?

The “Gospel of Life” ( a term of Pope John Paul II) is urgently needed in contemporary Japanese society where human life is not respected, where human beings are valued only according to how much they can contribute to society, where people with disabilities are excluded. Sometimes they are even denied the right to live. In July 2016, a young man killed 19 disabled people in Tsukui Yamayurien and to justify his actions, he said that people with disabilities had nothing to give to society and, therefore, they must be ‘terminated.’ In addition to the atrocity of this gesture and its motivations, we found that many people approved and expressed their appreciation for this crime on the Internet. It was shocking.

I hope that the visit of the Holy Father will bring a message of respect for human life so that all lives may receive due respect and consideration.

Japan is a modern country. But it is also a country with 30,000 suicides every year. How do you explain this phenomenon and what can Pope Francis say to young people?

This phenomenon tragically demonstrates that people no longer find reasons for hope in their lives. Working conditions are not favourable and many people are hired only for temporary jobs. The support of the traditional community has long since disappeared along with the bonds that once existed with the local communities. People are getting older and they have no one to help them. The fact of no longer receiving support from anyone makes it hard for people to hope in the future. Isolation and loneliness are killing people in Japan. I hope that the Holy Father can encourage young people to understand and support each other, to respect life, to know that they are not alone.

May the Holy Father bring a message of love and hope and make us understand that we are all loved by our Creator, for in His supreme love we can find hope for the future. 

The Pope will visit the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima and will deliver a “Message on Nuclear Weapons”. What lesson has this immense tragedy taught the humanity of today?

All Japanese people know that the use of nuclear weapons causes devastation and is against humanity. However, international relations do not permit us to convey this message. We need the Holy Father to make a strong declaration against nuclear weapons from cities that are witnessing these atrocities today for us Japanese to recover the courage to state our “NO” to nuclear weapons to the international community. Action for peace and anti-nuclear weapon positions also form part of the protection of human life.

The Pope will meet the victims of the ” threefold ” tragedy (earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster) that destroyed the territory of Fukushima in 2011. What is the situation today?

The districts of Iwate and Miyagi are recovering, but it could take years. The government has worked very hard to rebuild infrastructures, but the recovery of local communities is far more difficult. Fukushima is an entirely different situation. The incident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant forced people to relocate. TPCO (Tokyo Electric Power) and the government are trying to dismantle the nuclear facilities, but no one knows how and how long it might take. Many still live in different cities, but government funding for displaced people is ending, and many of these people are falling into debt to maintain their homes in Fukushima and elsewhere. The Catholic Church, together with Caritas Japan, is sustaining some of its volunteer centres so the local population knows that we don’t forget them.

Japan, an ancient people with a deep-rooted and cherished culture. What does Japan have to say to the world today?

Working towards becoming a wealthy and modern country is important for human development. But there is no chance for hope if people forgo traditional spirituality, respect for nature, love for the Creator.