This article is devoted to the efforts of Polish missionaries in Japan in the 20th and 21st centuries and to their role in evangelization and in the social life of the Japanese people. It also tackles the question of ministry amongst the Polish diaspora, which is a very important factor in strengthening the ties between Polish compatriots in foreign lands as well as in helping to maintain traditions and customs. The basis for this research on the subject is data collected from individual orders and congregations, the recollections of missionaries and their written compilations along with conversations with missionaries conducted by the author.
Professor Jolanta Tubielewicz was an outstanding Japanologist, co-founder of post-war Japanese Studies at the University of Warsaw. She specialized in the history of ancient Japan, archaeology, prehistory and mythology. She is the author of many important works, e.g. Od mitu do historii. Wykłady o Japonii, (‘From myth to history. Lectures on Japan’, 2006), Historia Japonii (‘History of Japan’, 1984), Mitologia Japonii (‘Mythology of Japan’, 1977), Nara i Kioto (1985), Kultura Japonii. Słownik (‘Culture of Japan. Dictionary’, 1996). She was an unquestioned authority and a great teacher to many generations.