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Portuguese ships began arriving in Japan in 1543, with Catholic missionary activities in Japan beginning in earnest around 1549, mainly by Portuguese-sponsored Jesuits until Spanish-sponsored mendicant orders, such as the Franciscans and Dominicans, gained access to Japan.

Of the 95 Jesuits who worked in Japan up to 1600, 57 were Portuguese, 20 were Spaniards and 18 Italian.

Francis Xavier, Cosme de Torres ( a Jesuit priest ), and Father John Fernandes were the first, who arrived to Kagoshima with hopes to bring Christianity and Catholicism to Japan.

At its height, Japan is estimated to have had around 300, 000 Christians.

Catholicism was subsequently repressed in several parts of the country and ceased to exist publicly in the 17th century.