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{{Short description|Christian missionaries who were martyred in Japan}}
{{Persecutions of the Catholic Church sidebar}}
The {{nihongo|'''Martyrs of Japan'''|日本の殉教者|Nihon no junkyōsha|lead=yes}} were [[Christians|Christian]] missionaries and followers who were persecuted and executed, mostly during the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] period in the 17th century. The Japanese saw the rituals of the Christians causing people to pray, close their eyes with the sign of the cross and lock their hands together – this was seen as psychological warfare against the Japanese and this was punished as such.
More than 400 martyrs of Japan have been recognized with [[beatification]] by the [[Catholic Church]], and 42 have been [[canonized]] as saints. 
[[File:Märtyrer von Nagasaki 1628.jpg|thumb|The 26 Martyrs of Japan at [[Nagasaki, Nagasaki|Nagasaki]] (1628 engraving)]]

== Early Christianity in Japan ==
{{Main|Hidden Christians of Japan|Fumi-e}}
Christian missionaries arrived with [[Francis Xavier]] and the [[Jesuits]] in the 1540s and briefly flourished, with over 100,000 converts, including many ''[[daimyō]]s'' in [[Kyushu]]. The shogunate and imperial government at first supported the [[Catholic]] mission and the missionaries, thinking that they would reduce the power of the [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] monks, and help trade with [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]]. However, the Shogunate was also wary of [[colonialism]], seeing that the [[History of Spanish Slavery in the Philippines|Spanish had taken power in the Philippines]], after converting the population. It soon met resistance from the highest office holders of Japan. [[Emperor Ōgimachi]] issued edicts to ban Catholicism in 1565 and 1568, but to little effect.<ref name=SFX>{{cite book |last= Brodrick |author-link= James Patrick Broderick |first= James  |date= 1952|title= Saint Francis Xavier (1506–1552) |location=London |publisher= Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd |pages= 558}}</ref> Beginning in 1587 with imperial regent [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]]'s ban on Jesuit missionaries, Christianity was repressed as a threat to national unity.<ref name=JAN>{{cite book|title=The Making of Modern Japan|url=https://archive.org/details/makingofmodernja00jans|url-access=registration|author-link = Marius Jansen | first = Marius | last = Jansen |year=2000|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=9780674003347|ref= Jansen}}</ref> While the Japanese view was that Christians were persecuted and executed for being more loyal to [[Jesus]] than the [[Shogunate]], the Catholic Church viewed them as martyrs: As the persecution was aimed at Christians as a group, and as they could escape only by [[Abjuration|abjuring]] their faith, the Catholic Church regarded the acts as being ''in odium fidei'' ("in hatred of the faith"), a principal factor in martyrdom. After the Tokugawa shogunate banned Christianity in 1614, it ceased to exist publicly. Many Catholics went underground, becoming {{nihongo|[[Kakure Kirishitan|hidden Christians]]|隠れキリシタン|kakure kirishitan}}, while others lost their lives. Only after the [[Meiji Restoration]] was Christianity re-established in Japan.

== 26 Martyrs of Japan (1597) ==
{{Main|26 Martyrs of Japan}}
[[File:Martyrdom-of-Paul-Miki-and-Companions-in-Nagasaki-(made-c1635).png|thumb|Martyrdom of Paul Miki and Companions in Nagasaki]]
The {{Nihongo|'''Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan'''|日本二十六聖人|Nihon Nijūroku Seijin}} refers to a group of [[Christians]] who were executed by [[crucifixion]] after a forced march from Kyoto to  [[Nagasaki, Nagasaki|Nagasaki]]. with the crucifixion taking place on 5 February 1597 at Nagasaki.

Through the promulgation of decree on martyrdom, these first Martyrs of Japan were beatified on 14 September 1627 by [[Pope Urban VIII]]. These saints were canonized saints on 8 June 1862 by [[Pope Pius IX]].<ref name="JA1">{{cite web |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/martyrs/Japan01.htm |title=Martyrs of Japan (1597–1637) |website=Hagiography Circle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128093416/http://newsaints.faithweb.com/martyrs/Japan01.htm |archive-date=November 28, 2021}}</ref>

== 205 Martyrs of Japan (1598–1632) ==
{{Main|205 Martyrs of Japan}}
[[File:Martyrdom-of-Nagasaki-Painting-1622.png|thumb|The Christian martyrs of the 1622&nbsp;[[Great Genna Martyrdom]]. 16th/17th-century Japanese painting.]]
Persecution flared episodically and over a period of 15 years, between 1617 and 1632, 205 missionaries and native Christians are known to have been killed for their faith, 55 of them during the [[Great Genna Martyrdom]], a further 50 during the [[Great Martyrdom of Edo]] (but only three were beatified as part of the 205 Martyrs of Japan).<ref>{{Cite web |author=The Jesuits Prayer Ministry Singapore |year=2023 |title=December 4th: Blessed Jerome De Angelis, SJ and Blessed Simon Yemon, SJ |url=https://www.jesuit.org.sg/dec-jerome-angelis-simon-yemon-sj/ |website=The Jesuits Prayer Ministry Singapore}}</ref> Christianity was proscribed and forced underground until the arrival of Western missionaries in the nineteenth century.

Through the promulgation of decree on martyrdom, these 205 Martyrs of Japan were venerated on 26 February 1866 and beatified on 7 May 1867, by [[Pope Pius IX]].<ref name="JA2">{{cite web |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/martyrs/Japan02.htm |title=Martyrs of Japan (1597–1637) |website=Hagiography Circle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419151006/http://newsaints.faithweb.com:80/martyrs/Japan02.htm |archive-date=April 19, 2021}}</ref>

== Augustine Recollects Martyrs (1632) ==
{{Main|Martin Lumbreras Peralta}}
Two Spanish [[Order of Augustinian Recollects|Augustinian Recollects]] arrived in Japan in the later half of 1632 from Manila to evangelize the Japanese. Upon arrival, Japanese authorities were notified by the Chinese merchants who had given them passage. They fled into the mountains where [[Dominican order|Dominican]] missionaries instructed them in the language of the country. When they descended into the city they were recognized and arrested in November 1632. On 11 December 1632, they were martyred for their faith.<ref name="AUG">{{cite web |website=The Black Cordelias |url=https://theblackcordelias.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/blessed-martin-lumbreras-sanchez-perez-peralta-and-melchiorre-sanchez-december-11/ |title=Blessed Martin Lumbreras Sanchez Perez Peralta and Melchiorre Sanchez, December 11 |date=December 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327160329/https://theblackcordelias.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/blessed-martin-lumbreras-sanchez-perez-peralta-and-melchiorre-sanchez-december-11/ |archive-date=March 27, 2022}}</ref>

Through the promulgation of decree on martyrdom, these two Augustinian Martyrs of Japan were venerated on 28 November 1988 and beatified on 23 April 1989, by [[Pope John Paul II]].{{r|JA2}}

== 16 Martyrs of Japan (1633–1637) ==
{{Main|16 Martyrs of Japan}}
The martyrdom continued on with a group of missionaries and natives that belonged to the Philippine Province of the [[Dominican Order]], called the Holy Rosary Province.<ref name=DMJ>{{cite book|title=New Saints and Blesseds of the Catholic Church (1979-1983) Vol. I|first=Ferdinand |last=Holböck |year=2000|publisher=Ignatius}}</ref>

Through the promulgation of decree on martyrdom, these 16 Martyrs of Japan were venerated on 11 October 1980 and beatified on 18 February 1981, by [[Pope John Paul II]].<ref name="usccb">{{cite web |website=United States Conference of Catholic Bishops |url=http://www.nccbuscc.org/comm/popejohnpaulii/beatify.shtml |title=Beatifications During Pope John Paul II's Pontificate |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519161337/http://www.nccbuscc.org/comm/popejohnpaulii/beatify.shtml |archive-date=May 19, 2011}}</ref> They were later canonized saints on 18 October 1987, by [[Pope John Paul II]].<ref name="vatican">{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19871018_ruiz-compagni_en.html |title=Lawrence Ruiz and companions |publisher=the Vatican website |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415105128/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19871018_ruiz-compagni_en.html |archive-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>

== 188 Martyrs of Japan (1603–1639) ==
These martyrs are additional religious priests and laity murdered for their faith between the years 1603 and 1639.

Through the promulgation of decree on martyrdom, these 188 Martyrs of Japan were venerated on 1 June 2007 and beatified on 24 November 2008, by [[Pope Benedict XVI]].<ref name=JA3>{{cite web |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/martyrs/Japan03.htm |title=Martyrs of Japan (1603–39) |website= Hagiography Circle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609051808/http://newsaints.faithweb.com/martyrs/Japan03.htm |archive-date=June 9, 2021}}</ref> The ceremony, held in Nagasaki, was presided over by Cardinal [[Peter Shirayanagi]], archbishop emeritus of Tokyo.<ref name=pime>[https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Telegram-from-the-pope-on-the-death-of-Card.-Shirayanagi-17242.html "Telegram from the pope on the death of Card. Shirayanagi", PIME – AsiaNews, December 31, 2009]</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Saints}}
*[[Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument]]
*[[Christianity in Japan]]
*[[Roman Catholicism in Japan]]
*[[Nanban trade]]
*[[Silence (2016 film)]]
*[[Christianization]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.26martyrs.com/ The 26 Martyrs Museum in Nagasaki City, Japan]
*[http://www.cbcj.catholic.jp/eng/ehistory/table01.htm Catholic Bishops Conference of Japan: ''Timeline of the Catholic Church in Japan'']
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060303075846/http://www.pauline.or.jp/history/e-history03.html Daughters of St. Paul Convent, Tokyo, Japan: ''Prohibition of Christian religion by Hideyoshi and the 26 martyrs'']
* {{CathEncy|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09744a.htm|title=Japanese Martyrs}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090422112412/http://www.osa-west.org/japanesemartyrs.html ''The Japanese Martyrs'']
*[http://nx2.jp/?m=wiki&a=page_h_detail&c_wiki_id=49 Nagasaki Wiki: ''Detailed Access Information from Nagasaki Station to 26 Martyrs Monument'']
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071214215109/https://www.zenit.org/article-21265?l=english 2008 ''Beatification of Japanese Martyrs'']
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000023/http://pweb.sophia.ac.jp/britto/xavier/4jesuits2bbeatified.pdf Britto, Francis. ''All About Francis Xavier'']

{{Catholic saints|state=collapsed}}
{{Persecution of Christians}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Japan, Martyrs Of}}
[[Category:Catholic martyrs of the Early Modern era]]
[[Category:History of Christianity in Japan|Martyrs]]
[[Category:16th century in Japan]]
[[Category:17th century in Japan]]
[[Category:Martyred groups]]
[[Category:Persecution by Buddhists]]
[[Category:People executed by Japan]]
[[Category:Groups of Anglican saints|Martyrs]]
[[Category:Lists of Christian martyrs]]
[[Category:Lists of saints]]
[[Category:Beatifications by Pope Pius IX]]
[[Category:Beatifications by Pope John Paul II]]
[[Category:Beatifications by Pope Benedict XVI]]
[[Category:Groups of Roman Catholic saints]]