The Phenomenon of Christian Martyrdom in Japan in the 16th and 17th Centuries

Abstract

This article examines the history of the so-called “Christian century” (1549-1639), the period between the arrival of the Jesuit missionaries and the last Christian revolt before the final ban on the foreign religion, which ended with the persecution and martyrdom of Japanese Christians. The article shows the beginning of the Jesuit mission in Japan, their strategies and certain errors, as well as their activities in the time of persecution. The article then illustrates how the spread of Christianity in Japan at its different stages was related to the local politics. The persecution and extermination of Christianity in the country should be analyzed in this context. The unique feature of the Japanese Christian Martyrdom was the Christians’ explicit willingness to die as martyrs. This attitude is explained with the reference to some elements of the Japanese traditional mentality, which might be consistent with some Christian concepts.