| History |
The Diocese of Yokohama was established on November 9, 1937,
when the Archdiocese of Tokyo was given over to the care of
Japanese clergy, and the eight prefectures of Kanagawa, Shizuoka,
Yamanashi, Nagano, Saitama, Gumma, Tochigi, and Ibaraki were
entrusted to the Paris Foreign Mission Society. On November
9, 1939, the Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa was established
and the four Prefectures of Saitama, Gumma, Tochigi, and Ibaraki
were entrusted to Canadian Franciscans.
At the time of the establishment of the Diocese of Yokohama,
Archbishop Jean Alexis Chambon, M.E.P., who had been Archbishop
of Tokyo, served as the first ordinary. When he retired in
1941, Monsignor Ideguchi Miyoichi, and then, from 1944, Monsignor
Toda Tatewaki served as Administrator Apostolic of the Diocese
of Yokohama. With the death of Monsignor Toda, Archbishop
Doi of Tokyo served temporarily at the same time as ordinary
of the Diocese of Yokohama. However, in 1947 Father Wakita
Asagoro was consecrated and took over as Bishop of Yokohama.
In 1951 Bishop Wakita resigned, and Father Arai Katsusaburo
was appointed Bishop of Yokohama. He was consecrated bishop
on February 24, 1952, and retired in 1979.
On October 30, 1979, Bishop Hamao Fumio, Auxiliary Bishop
of Tokyo, was appointed Bishop of Yokohama. He was installed
on January 15, 1980.
June 15, 1998, Pope John Paul II nominated Bishop Hamao as
President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care
of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples at the Vatican. With this
appointment, effective June 15, 1998, Bishop Hamao became
an archbishop and relinquished the office of Bishop of Yokohama.
He was succeeded by Fr. Umemura Masahiro, who was appointed
March 27, 1999, and was ordained bishop on May 15 that year.
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