Archbishop of Tokyo: An aging society like Japan’s will not be able to survive

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 22, 2024 / 16:05 pm

Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, who will be installed as a cardinal on Dec. 7, spoke to the Vatican new agency Fides about the present and future state of the country.

The archbishop said that “an aging society like Japan’s will not be able to survive,” pointing to the dangers of the country’s demographic winter.

Faced with this reality, he noted that the government “is hesitant to fully accept migrants” for fear of entering into territory never previously explored in Japan, a nation little accustomed to receiving migrants.

“Until now, Japan has been a remarkably homogeneous country. However, the reality is that without the presence of migrants, Japanese society cannot sustain itself. This is a fact. It’s true that migrants come in with different types of visas but, due to the reluctance of institutions, many of them are forced sooner or later to face bureaucratic problems related to their immigration status,” he said.

Kikuchi said that Japanese society often perceives migration as a “problem” and that even within the Church there is talk of the “immigrant problem.” The archbishop believes that this language reflects the “negative perception” of many Japanese about this reality.

Immigrants in Japan ‘not a problem but a hope’

“I firmly believe that immigrants are not a problem but a hope for the Church. They offer the Catholic community a unique opportunity to grow, especially with young people, and to proclaim the Gospel in areas where there is no active presence of the Church,” he said.

“In a certain way, immigrants offer the Japanese Church the possibility of renewing itself and of being more active in its mission. This is a real hope,” he added.

Since it is geographically located in a strategic position, between great world powers such as the United States, Russia, and China, the country of the “rising sun” is not unfamiliar with the diatribes and circumstances that the world is going through today.

Specifically on the subject of war and the growing threat of the use of nuclear weapons, Kikuchi was emphatic in pointing out that nuclear weapons “do not provide real protection.”

The Japanese government approved a 16.5% (about $56 billion) increase in defense spending by 2024. “It’s just throwing money away,” the archbishop said.

Dialogue ‘the key to stability’

“Anyone who seriously analyzes the political situation in Asia understands that dialogue is the key to ensuring stability, not the threat posed by weapons. Investing more money in weapons, especially nuclear weapons, is an unnecessary and dangerous expense, since these weapons are not designed to resolve conflicts but to destroy the world,” he commented.

The prelate said the Japanese Church will continue to promote initiatives “that seek the elimination of nuclear weapons. We will work with bishops in the United States and other countries to demand that both Japan and the U.S. government commit to abolishing these weapons as soon as possible.”

“Dialogue is the key to stability. We must not argue. We must talk to each other. Dialogue is not just about talking, but also about building relationships. Synodality is also necessary in this area,” the archbishop concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.