This week in Christian history: Japan legalizes Christianity, Kathryn Kuhlman dies, John Henry Newman leaves Oxford

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, February 18, 2024

Japan legalizes Christianity – Feb. 24, 1873

A 17th century painting depicting the mass killing of Christians in Japan. | Public Domain

This week marks the anniversary of when Japan lifted an edict that banned Christianity for a couple of centuries, as part of an overall effort to close the nation off from foreign influence.

Christianity had been outlawed in Japan over the course of several years, including an edict from Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1597 and persecution from the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 1630s.

In the 19th century, however, as the Meiji government of Japan became increasingly influenced by Western powers, the nation decided to remove the government restrictions on the faith.

“Following the Meiji Restoration, freedom of religion was promulgated and the number of Japanese Christians has been slowly increasing again,” noted Japan Guide.

“Today, about one to two million Japanese are Christians (about one percent of Japan's population), and churches can be found across the country. Many Christians live in western Japan where the missionaries' activities were greatest during the 16th century.”