Church of Japan

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Orthodox Church in Japan
Founder(s) St. Nicholas of Japan
Autocephaly/Autonomy declared 1970
Autocephaly/Autonomy recognized 1970 by Russia
Current primate Archbishop Daniel
Headquarters Tokyo, Japan
Primary territory Japan
Possessions abroad
Liturgical language(s) Japanese
Musical tradition Russian Chant
Calendar Julian
Population estimate 10,000[1]
Official website Church of Japan





This article forms part of the series
Orthodoxy in Japan
Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Tokyo, Japan)
Timeline of Orthodoxy in Japan
Church of Japan
Nicholas of Japan
Andronik of Perm
Sergius (Tikhomirov)
Nicholas (Ono)
Benjamin (Basalyga)
Ireney (Bekish)
Nikon (de Greve)
Vladimir (Nagosky)
Theodosius (Nagashima)
Seraphim (Sigrist) of Sendai
Daniel (Nushiro) of Japan
Seraphim (Tsujie) of Sendai
Fr Paul Sawabe
Fr Simeon Michiro Mii
Fr Anatoly Tikhai
Yakov Tikhai
Victor Pokrovsky
Irina Yamashita
Holy Resurrection Cathedral
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During the Fifteen Years War (1930-1945), which from 1939 to 1945 was part of World War II, Christianity in Japan suffered under severe conditions, the Orthodox Church especially. As early as the last years of Abp. Nicholas' life, the church administration considered consecration of a Japanese to the episcopacy. While over the following decades various candidates were considered, none were formally nominated for various reasons. The situation for the church changed in 1939 when the Diet of Japan enacted legislation requiring government registration of churches. The registration process meant foreigners could not serve in positions of authority within the church, although the legislation itself did not prohibit non-Japanese from such positions. Throughout 1940, the church leadership divided over how to satisfy the law, and Metr. Sergius was "retired". As the factions endorsed various candidates, one group had approached representatives of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), and quickly elected the Archpriest John Ono for consecration as a bishop. Fr. John and his wife Vera traveled to Manchuria where both took monastic vows and Fr. John was consecrated bishop with the name Nicholas on April 6, 1941. The disagreement between the two major factions continued throughout the war. [1]

After the Japanese surrender, the Allied occupation had a generous attitude to Christianity, given its predominantly American composition. Control over the Church of Japan by the Soviet dominated Church of Russia was forestalled by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers through the efforts of Colonel Boris T. Pash, who was the son of Metr. Theodosius (Pashkovsky) of the American Metropolia.[2] As the majority of the Slavic- and Greek-Americans would attend local Orthodox parishes, Orthodoxy in Japan took a step forward. During the war, the Japanese Orthodox Church had almost no foreign contact. After the war, instead of the Russian Church, the American Metropolia, the precursors of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) helped re-establish the Japanese Orthodox Church, and since 1946 Archbishops appointed by the American Metropolia ruled the Church of Japan. In that time, several youth who studied at the OCA's St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York are now the leaders of Japanese Orthodox Church. While a minority, under the leadership of Bp. Nicholas aligned itself with the Moscow Patriarchate, and were known as the "Russian Podvorye Orthodox Church in Japan".


Today the Russian Podvorye and the Church of Japan are reconciled and in so good terms that the former remembers both Patriach Alexey II and Metropolitan of All Japan in their liturgy, and that they commemorate a molieben in honor of St. Nikolai on his feast day.


Diocesan bishops


Retired and former bishops


  1. Masatoshi John Shoji, The Orthodox Church of Japan, 1912-1954: A Time of Troubles, Master's Thesis, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, New York, May 2007
  2. Pash, Boris T., "Checkmate!," The American Legion Magazine, April, 1958, pp14-15, 42-43.

See also

List of Metropolitans of Japan

Related articles

Autocephalous and Autonomous Churches of Orthodoxy
Autocephalous Churches
Four Ancient Patriarchates: Constantinople | Alexandria | Antioch | Jerusalem
Autonomous Churches

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