Christianity in Japan

Japanese history has been strongly influenced by foreign ideas and beliefs. In addition to the Chinese writing system, Chinese structure of government and Buddhism, Christianity is a significant import that changed Japan. The Jesuit Francis Xavier introduced Christianity into Japan in 1549. The introduction of Christianity caused many political implications such as the use of Christianity by Jesuit monks to gain influence in Japan, which significantly changed Japanese policy and society.
The introduction of Christianity to Japan was directly connected with Portuguese merchants. In the year 1542 a Portuguese merchant ship was blown to the island of Japan as a result of a typhoon. This event was a landmark event because it led to the introduction of any European nation into Japan. Francis Xavier was a founding member of the Jesuit Order. The Jesuits were an order of Catholics who were highly educated, disciplined, and intelligent who were able to preach their faith in tough areas due to high versatility . The first interaction between the Japanese and Portuguese merchants was historic because it opened the door to European ideas that were new to Asia. The Jesuits were not a passive group of Europeans; rather they were a group with a mission to convert and to spread their culture. In a letter Xavier wrote concerning Japan he describes the Japanese as a heathen population who were prime for his religion. During the time Xavier first discovered Japan, the Christian church was a highly capable organization who wanted to spread their dogma all over the world. The goal of spreading revelation to a new culture of people unaccustomed to European ways was an incredibly ambitious and arduous task. Xavier’s ambitions and enthusiasm led to other Jesuits to come to Japan. In 1551, Xavier left Japan to return to Goa, India leaving behind a small but dedicated group of missionaries including Alexander Valignano, who later played a large role in the Christian influence in Japan.