Dialogue with Islam in Japan

During the last twenty years, Islam has gained a greater visibility in Japan also in areas far away from the big metropolis of Tokyo and Osaka,like, for example, in the city of Kumamoto, in Kyushu, where hundreds of Muslims are now present especially in the local University, and where an Islamic Center was opened in 2008.

Shinmeizan has been in contact with the local Muslim community of Kumamoto since about ten years ago, inviting some of its representatives to the biennial interreligious meetings of prayer for peace; leading the Kumamoto Group for Interreligious Dialogue to visit the Islamic Center; and participating in interreligious colloquia with them sponsored by the Kumamoto Cultural Center or by the Islamic Community itself.

In February 2011 - upon request of Bishop Koriyama - Fr. Franco, together with two Japanese Muslims, held a three days’ study session for the Priests of the Kagoshima Diocese, and on March 17th, 2013, he was invited to the inauguration ceremony of the new Mosque of Kumamoto.

Given the fast growth of Islam in Japan (for example, mosques were only 4 in 1991, they are 65 now) there is also a growing need to know Islam better in view of a constructive and fruitful dialogue with it. For this reason Kakehashi, the Association of Catholic Religious Institutes for interreligious dialogue in Japan, has suggested a series of meetings in various Dioceses, to raise the awareness of Catholics to the issue of dialogue with Islam also in this Country. 

The preparation of these meetings was entrusted to Shinmeizan, which organized conferences on dialogue with Islam, held by Archbishop, Ghaleb Bader, between February 22 and 28 in Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. Mons. Ghaleb Bader, an Arab of Jordanian origin, is at present Archbishop of Algiers and has lived his whole life in an Islamic context, and in daily contact with Islam. As such he could share with the Christians of Japan his own experience of living in continuous contact and in dialogue with Islam, something that is entirely new for most Japanese, who, however, must from now on become involved in dialogue with Islam also in this Country.

The conferences of Archbishop Bader were introduced by Fr. Paul Kunori, OCD, President of Kakehashi and placed in the Japanese context by Sr. Maria De Giorgi, of Shinmeizan. 

During his stay in Japan, Archbishop Bader was able to meet with the Apostolic Nuncio to Tokyo, Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, as well as with several Japanese Bishops (Archb. Takami of Nagasaki, Archbp. Okada of Tokyo, Archbp. Ikenaga of Osaka, Bishop Miyahara of Fukuoka, Bishop Umemura of Yokohama, and Auxiliary Bishop Matsuura of Osaka) so that his visit to Japan has provided an opportunity to stir awareness and interest for the cause of dialogue with Islam at large in the Catholic Church in Japan.