Predecessors

1. Most Rev. PETITJEAN, Bernard M.E.P. 1866-1884 (Vicar Apostolic)
2. Most Rev. LAUCAIGNE, Joseph Marie M.E.P. 1884-1885
3. Most Rev. COUSIN, Jules Alphonse M.E.P. (1885-90 Vicar Apostolic, 1891-1911 Bishop)
4. Most Rev. COMBAZ, Jean Claude M.E.P. 1912-1926
5. Most Rev. HAYASAKA, Januarius Kyunosuke 1927-1937
6. Most Rev. YAMAGUCHI, Paul Aijiro 1937-1969 (1959-1969 Archbishop)
7. Most Rev. SATOWAKI, Joseph Asajiro 1969-1990 (Cardinal from 1979)
8. Most Rev. SHIMAMOTO, Francis Xavier Kaname 1990-2002

The origins of the Diocese of Nagasaki date to1866 when Bishop Bernard Petitjean, M.E.P. was appointed to head the Vicariate Apostolic of Japan, which had been entrusted to the Paris Foreign Mission Society. In 1876, when the Vicariate Apostolic of Japan was divided into Northern and Southern Apostolic Vicariates, Nagasaki became part of the Southern Vicariate Apostolic, which had jurisdiction over the Kyushu, Chugoku, and Kinki regions. In 1888, when the Central Japan Vicariate Apostolic was established, the three regions of Shikoku, Chugoku, and Kinki were committed to it, and on June 15, 1891 the Diocese of Nagasaki was founded with the jurisdiction of all of Kyushu.

On July 16, 1927, the Diocese of Nagasaki became the first diocese under a Japanese ordinary, and, except for Nagasaki Prefecture, the rest of Kyushu was entrusted to the Diocese of Fukuoka and the Prefecture Apostolic of Kagoshima. Father Hayasaka Kyunosuke was appointed ordinary and in the same year became the first Japanese to be consecrated bishop. With the resignation of Bishop Hayasaka in 1937, Father Yamaguchi Aijiro became the ordinary and was consecrated bishop. On May 4, 1959, the Diocese of Nagasaki was elevated to the rank of Archdiocese, and Bishop Yamaguchi was appointed the first Archbishop of Nagasaki.

With the resignation of Bishop Yamaguchi, Bishop Satowaki Asajiro of Kagoshima was appointed to succeed him on December, 1968. He was installed as Archbishop of Nagasaki the following March 16.

On November 10, 1977, Father Matsunaga Hisajiro was appointed auxiliary bishop. He was consecrated bishop on February 5 of the following year. On January 15, 1991, Bishop Matsunaga was installed as Bishop of Fukuoka.

On June 30, 1979, Archbishop Satowaki was created the third Japanese Cardinal.

On February 8, 1990, Cardinal Satowaki resigned as archbishop and Bishop Shimamoto Kaname, Bishop of Urawa, was appointed his successor. He was installed on May 8 of the same year.

Sulpician Father Takami Mitsuaki, appointed auxiliary bishop of Nagasaki by Pope John Paul II on February 7, 2002, was ordained bishop in Nagasaki Cathedral April 29.

Archbishop Shimamoto died August 31, 2002. On October 17, 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed Auxiliary Bishop Takami as the archbishop of Nagasaki. Archbishop-elect Takami was installed in the see on December 14, 2003.