THE ACTIVITY OF THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN JAPAN AND ITS ROLE IN THE ROMANIAN–JAPANESE CULTURAL RELATIONS

Abstract

The Romanian Orthodox Church in Japan (Romanian: Biserica Ortodoxă Română din Japonia; Japanese: ルーマニア正教会日本支部) refers to the metochion of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Japan under the direct jurisdiction of the Romanian Patriarchate. Since its official establishment in 2012, the metochion has undertaken various missionary efforts throughout the country, including the successful establishment of the first Orthodox cemetery and international Orthodox center in Japan, as well as involvement in events promoting Romanian culture. This research aims to analyze the reasons behind the productivity of the Romanian Orthodox mission in Japan by examining the emergence of the Romanian Orthodox community in Japan, tracing the declared historical legacy of the present mission, describing the process of its establishment and formation, exploring its contemporary activity, and assessing its role in Romanian–Japanese cultural relations through a review of historical documents, scientific studies, and media sources.