Diocese of Oita - JAPAN

Diocese of Oita - JAPAN

In a land area of 11,446 square kilometers, the diocesan territory covers Oita and Miyazaki prefectures.

Population

The total population in the territory is 2,376,414 as of the end of 2008. Most of them are ethnic Japanese. There are also 15,196 non-Japanese people, according to the Immigration Bureau of Japan in 2008.

Language

The territory also has many languages/dialects.

History

On March 28, 1928, the two prefectures of Miyazaki and Oita were separated from the Fukuoka Diocese and entrusted to Italian Salesian Fathers. On Jan. 28, 1935, it became the Prefecture Apostolic of Miyazaki and Father Vincenzo Cimatti, S.D.B. was appointed the first ordinary. In 1940 Monsignor Cimatti resigned, and Monsignor Ichitaro Ideguchi, Prefect Apostolic of Kagoshima, served concomitantly as Administrator Apostolic of Miyazaki. From 1946 Bishop Sen'emon Fukahori of Fukuoka served concomitantly as Administrator Apostolic of Miyazaki.

On Dec. 22, 1961, the Prefecture Apostolic of Miyazaki was raised to the status of a diocese and became the Diocese of Oita. Father Saburo Hirata was appointed the first Bishop of Oita and was consecrated on March 26, 1962.
On Nov. 15, 1969, Bishop Hirata was appointed Bishop of Fukuoka and Father Takaaki Hirayama was appointed to replace him in Oita. He was consecrated bishop on Jan. 25, 1970.
On June 12, 2000, Bishop Hirayama retired and Nagasaki diocesan priest Father Ryoji Miyahara was appointed as his successor. He was consecrated bishop on Oct. 1, 2000.
Due to Bishop Miyahara being named Bishop of Fukuoka on March 19, 2008, and installed on May 18, 2008, the episcopacy is vacant at this time. (Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan, 2010)
The cited information not mentioning the source is by Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan, as well as the photograph/s of the officials. Photograph/s of the cathedral is by the Diocese.

Transportation

Airplanes, railways, buses and ships are modes of transportation in the region.

Economy

The per capita income in the diocesan territory is in:
Oita: 2,608,000 JPY (29,366 USD as of March 2010)/year
Miyazaki: 2,212,000 JPY (24,867 USD as of March 2010)/year
(Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 2005)
Major industries are in:
Oita: Iron and steel, oil, chemicals, shipbuilding, semiconductors, automobiles
Miyazaki: Foods, electronic parts, chemicals, beverages and tobacco, rubber (the top 5 manufacturing industries ranked by sector-specific product shipment value).
according to Japan External Trade Organization, 2010.

Education

Throughout Japan, literacy is 99 percent as the Central Intelligence Agency, USA reports in 2010.