By LiCAS.news
A Vietnamese-language Catholic Mass held at St Ignatius Church in Kojimachi, Tokyo, has become a central gathering point for the growing Vietnamese migrant community in Japan.
Celebrated every Sunday at 3.00 pm, the Mass draws more than 1,000 attendees, with hymns sung in Vietnamese and children moving freely around the church.
The liturgy is led by Fr Joseph Nguyễn Thanh Nhã, SJ, who began his ministry at the parish eight years ago, according to the Vietnamese Bishops’ Conference.
“I believe the Mass reaches deep into their hearts because it’s celebrated in Vietnamese,” said Fr Nhã, who arrived in Japan in 2009 as a seminarian. He studied at Sophia University’s Faculty of Theology before his ordination.
St Ignatius Parish offers Mass in six foreign languages, including English, Indonesian, and Spanish. While the congregation once consisted mostly of Catholics from the United States and Europe, the number of Southeast Asian and South American worshippers has grown significantly since the 1980s.
Vietnamese migration to Japan has sharply increased—from around 50,000 in 2012 to over 600,000 in 2024. In response, the parish expanded the Vietnamese Mass from once a month to twice a week. Some faithful travel up to two hours to attend.
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