(ANS – Rome) – Tomorrow 21 September, the visit of the Rector Major to Japan for the 75th anniversary of the setting up of the St Francis Xavier Province in Tokyo begins. The Salesian charism through the presence of the Salesians, the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians  the Salesians-Cooperators and the Association of Mary Help of Christians was the inspiration for a group of the Salesian Family which grew up there: the Sisters of Charity of Jesus, formerly known as the Sisters of Charity of Miyazaki, who this year celebrate their 75th anniversary.

In fact the Salesian presence in Japan goes back to February 1926, when 3 Salesians – including  the Venerable Fr Vincenzo Cimatti – left China and went East, where they took responsibility for the work left by the Missionaries of the Foreign Missions of Paris at Miyazaki, Oita and Nakatsu. Just a year later Japan was established as a Vice Province and in 1928 the publication began of “Don Bosco” the forerunner of the local Salesian Bulletin, which is these days has reached its 1000 issue.

Some years of great expansion and the establishment of the Salesian charism followed: in 1933, at the invitation of the local Bishop, the Salesians went to Tokyo to take responsibility for the church Mikawashima and an orphanage; two years later the Ikuei Technical School was opened in Tokyo, while in 1937, in addition to the erection of the Japanese Province the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of Myazaki was officially recognised – the 10th group in the Salesian Family which in 2009 changed its name to the “Sisters of Charity of Jesus.”

Later, like the whole country the Salesians experienced the difficult war conditions but in  1944 there was a very significant event: the ordination of Fr Martino Akimoto, the first Japanese Salesian.

In 1954 the Japanese Province began to send its missionaries abroad: initially to South Korea – which in 1972 would become a Vice Province – and then in 1994, to the Solomon Islands which later were entrusted to the care of North Philippines Province.

At present the St Francis Xavier Province has 15 centres: 7 pre-schools, an elementary school, a middle school, 3 senior secondary schools and a polytechnic, as well as 2 social works. The 107 Salesians of whom 77 are Japanese also have  8 Salesian parishes, various other parishes in their care, 7 festive oratories and  2 Salesian aspirantates – one for pre-adolescents and adolescents with 19 boys, and one for university students, with 4 young men at present.

In a note sent to ANS, the Provincial of Japan  Fr Aldo Cipriani, wrote: “We thank the Rector Major for having accepted the invitation to celebrate with us the 75tha anniversary of the erection of our Province. We also thank him for his personal closeness and that of the Congregation at the dark time of the earthquake and of the devastating tsunami of 11 March 2011”.

The visit of the Rector Major will end on Wednesday 26 September.

Published 20/09/2012