Saitama (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Mario Michiaki Yamanouchi, S.D.B., Bishop
Marcellino Taiji Tani, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 31 March 2003
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Tōkyō
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Japan
Square Kilometers: 22,665 (8,754 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://saitama-kyoku.net/
Mailing Address: Bishop's Residence, 6-4-12 Tokiwa, Urawa-ku, Saitama-shi, 336-0061, Japan
Telephone: (048)831-3150
Fax: 824-3532

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa
- Latin Name: Uravaensis
- Erected: 4 January 1939
- Country: Japan
Diocese of Urawa
- Latin Name: Uravaensis
- Elevated: 16 December 1957
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Tōkyō
- Country: Japan

Past and Present Ordinaries

Ambroise Leblanc, O.F.M. † ( 1939 Appointed - 1940 Resigned)
Paul Sakuzo Uchino † (13 Dec 1945 Appointed - 1957 Resigned)
Laurentius Satoshi Nagae † (24 Dec 1957 Appointed - 20 Dec 1979 Resigned)
Francis Xavier Kaname Shimamoto, Ist. del Prado † (20 Dec 1979 Appointed - 8 Feb 1990 Appointed, Archbishop of Nagasaki)
Peter Takeo Okada † (15 Apr 1991 Appointed - 17 Feb 2000 Appointed, Archbishop of Tōkyō)
Marcellino Taiji Tani (10 May 2000 Appointed - 27 Jul 2013 Resigned)
Mario Michiaki Yamanouchi, S.D.B. (2 Jun 2018 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa
4 January 1939	Erected	Diocese of Yokohama (Gumma, Tochigi, Haralci, and Saitama)	Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa (erected)
Diocese of Urawa
16 December 1957	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa	Diocese of Urawa
Diocese of Saitama
31 March 2003	Name Changed	Diocese of Urawa	Diocese of Saitama

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa

1950 2,807 7,221,286 .0% 1 16 17 165 12 5 12 ap1951

Diocese of Urawa

1970 10,632 8,983,110 .1% 9 66 75 141 76 147 44 ap1971

1980 12,981 11,429,000 .1% 13 64 77 168 79 165 46 ap1981

1990 16,761 13,048,924 .1% 16 52 68 246 63 186 59 ap1991

1999 78,994 13,928,489 .6% 15 44 59 1,338 2 53 168 60 ap2000

2000 79,129 13,974,550 .6% 15 46 61 1,297 2 56 176 60 ap2001

2001 87,208 14,037,331 .6% 13 48 61 1,429 1 58 172 60 ap2002

2002 87,312 13,965,767 .6% 15 51 66 1,322 1 59 185 60 ap2003

Diocese of Saitama

2003 89,913 14,045,552 .6% 16 52 68 1,322 2 60 176 59 ap2004

2004 90,463 14,179,715 .6% 17 43 60 1,507 3 50 191 57 ap2005

2010 100,477 14,139,486 .7% 18 37 55 1,826 5 41 168 59 ap2011

2014 120,873 14,126,640 .9% 24 34 58 2,084 7 37 279 53 ap2015

2017 120,290 14,129,148 .9% 24 26 50 2,405 6 30 159 59 ap2018

2020 119,820 14,074,691 .9% 22 26 48 2,496 5 29 132 59 ap2021

2022 119,400 14,025,837 .9% 20 27 47 2,540 29 120 59 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa
1950	2,807	7,221,286	.0%	1	16	17	165		12	5	12	ap1951
Diocese of Urawa
1970	10,632	8,983,110	.1%	9	66	75	141		76	147	44	ap1971
1980	12,981	11,429,000	.1%	13	64	77	168		79	165	46	ap1981
1990	16,761	13,048,924	.1%	16	52	68	246		63	186	59	ap1991
1999	78,994	13,928,489	.6%	15	44	59	1,338	2	53	168	60	ap2000
2000	79,129	13,974,550	.6%	15	46	61	1,297	2	56	176	60	ap2001
2001	87,208	14,037,331	.6%	13	48	61	1,429	1	58	172	60	ap2002
2002	87,312	13,965,767	.6%	15	51	66	1,322	1	59	185	60	ap2003
Diocese of Saitama
2003	89,913	14,045,552	.6%	16	52	68	1,322	2	60	176	59	ap2004
2004	90,463	14,179,715	.6%	17	43	60	1,507	3	50	191	57	ap2005
2010	100,477	14,139,486	.7%	18	37	55	1,826	5	41	168	59	ap2011
2014	120,873	14,126,640	.9%	24	34	58	2,084	7	37	279	53	ap2015
2017	120,290	14,129,148	.9%	24	26	50	2,405	6	30	159	59	ap2018
2020	119,820	14,074,691	.9%	22	26	48	2,496	5	29	132	59	ap2021
2022	119,400	14,025,837	.9%	20	27	47	2,540		29	120	59	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Ambroise Leblanc, O.F.M. † (Prefect: 1939 to 1940)
Laurentius Satoshi Nagae † (Bishop: 24 Dec 1957 to 20 Dec 1979)
Peter Takeo Okada † (Bishop: 15 Apr 1991 to 17 Feb 2000; Apostolic Administrator: 27 Jul 2013 to 24 Sep 2018)
Francis Xavier Kaname Shimamoto, Ist. del Prado † (Bishop: 20 Dec 1979 to 8 Feb 1990)
Paul Sakuzo Uchino † (Prefect: 13 Dec 1945 to 1957)

Source(s)

Prefecture Apostolic of Urawa
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 31, Page 129, and Page 160
Diocese of Urawa
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 50, Page 505, to Page 507

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Diocese of Saitama

Dioecesis Saitamaensis