URAWA, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — Located in the central-eastern region of the island of Hondo, to the northwest of Tokyo, it comprises the civil provinces of Gumma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Saitama, with a total area of 22,666 sq. km.
On 15 June 1891 the Archdiocese of Tokyo was erected, which on 9 November 1937 was divided with the establishment of the Diocese of Yokohama. This, on 5 January 1939, was dismembered to create the Apostolic Prefecture of U., entrusted to the Order of Friars Minor. On 10 October 1940 the mission passed to the Japanese secular clergy. The dominant religion, as throughout Japan, is Buddhism, and there are celebrated shrines that are the goal of numerous pilgrimages. Shintoism is especially widespread in the civil province of Ibaraki. Out of a population of 7,337,707 inhabitants, there are 3,771 Catholics, with 1,028 catechumens; 3,500 Protestants. Mission personnel: 2 native priests and 30 foreign; 8 brothers; 11 sisters; 5 major seminarians; 13 catechists. There are 13 prayer schools; 7 kindergartens; one pharmacy; 20 sacred buildings; 19 quasi-parishes; 16 primary stations and 35 secondary ones. A newspaper is published there with a circulation of 5,000 copies.
In 1873 Frs. Vigroux and Lecomte of the Paris Foreign Missions Society began their periodic visits from Tokyo to that part of the territory known as the “Kanto.” In 1880 Fr. Lecomte made a permanent base for his ministry in the four provinces mentioned above, until 1891. Shortly after, Fr. Cadillach took charge of the province of Tochigi and labored indefatigably for 45 years in the propagation of the faith in this territory; in 1892 Fr. Myrand undertook his apostolate in the province of Saitama. In 1896 Fr. Fournier established his residence in the city of Mito for the evangelization of the province of Ibaraki. In 1908 Fr. Giraudias settled in the city of Maebashi, charged with the care of the province of Gumma. In 1936 six Franciscans from the Canadian Province of St. Joseph were entrusted with the entire region.