Former Prime Minister Aso (Catholic) attends the Pope's inauguration mass [Follow-up] Surprisingly, there are many Christians among Japanese Prime Ministers . . . Pre-war: Takashi Hara; Post-war: Shigeru Yoshida, Tetsu Katayama, Ichiro Hatoyama, Masayoshi Ohira, Taro Aso
* Former Prime Minister Aso greets Pope Leo XIV . . .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqf4LWZ1gJ0&t=3717s
https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/pressit_000001_02152.html
Attendance of Special Envoy Aso at the Inauguration Ceremony of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV
May 18, 2025
On May 18 (local time), Special Envoy Taro Aso, representing the Japanese government, attended the inauguration ceremony of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV held in Vatican City.
1. At the audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV held after the ceremony, Special Envoy Aso, on behalf of the Japanese government and its people, conveyed his congratulations on the Pope's inauguration and expressed his hope for the further development of friendly relations between Japan and the Vatican.
2. Furthermore, at the inauguration ceremony venue, Special Envoy Aso held brief conversations with other attendees, including U.S. Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, Italian President Mattarella, German Chancellor Merz, Canadian Prime Minister Carney, Montenegrin Prime Minister Spajić, British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Secretary Lammy, Ugandan Deputy Speaker of Parliament Tayebwa, Indian Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh, and former Taiwanese Vice President Chen.
日米両国を代表するリーダーであり、いずれもカトリック教徒であるヴァンス副大統領、ルビオ国務長官、そして麻生太郎元首相が、5月18日にバチカンで執り行われたローマ教皇レオ14世の就任ミサにて対面をいたしました。 https://t.co/Y72NCyBM8h
— ジョージ・グラス駐日米国大使 (@USAmbJapan) May 19, 2025
Although former Prime Minister and LDP Supreme Advisor Taro Aso (Catholic) is reported to have a strained relationship with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (Protestant) (and is even rumored to be planning a coup by backing Sanae Takaichi), he seems to have been the most suitable person to attend the new Pope's inauguration mass.
Furthermore, to repeat (for the second or third time), if one were to tell former Prime Minister Taro Aso or Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba that founder Sun Myung Moon and President Hak Ja Han are the Savior or God's only begotten daughter, they might just laugh it off. I am adding this again just in case.
at Shibuya Ward's St. Dominic's Church (November 3, 1983)