In a meeting in Rome with a visiting Japanese delegation on Sept. 12, Pope Francis announced plans to visit Japan next year.

“Since you are here, I would like to announce my intention to visit Japan next year. I hope I am able to fulfil this wish,” Pope Francis told members of the Tensho Kenoh Shisetsu Kenshoukai Association.

“Thanks again for your visit,”

the Pope said, telling the visitors to “take back to your wonderful people and your great country the friendship of the Pope of Rome and the esteem of the whole Catholic Church.”

Members of the association were there with Fathers Renzo De Luca and Shinzo Kawamura. Father De Luca is the Argentine- an-born Jesuit provincial of Japan and was a novice when Pope Francis was his novice master in his native Argentina.

It is well known that Pope Francis had hoped to be a missionary in Japan after joining the Society of Jesus and becoming a priest. But his superiors believed he did not have the required good health to do so.