Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, the Archbishop of Tokyo and current president of Caritas Internationalis, has dedicated much of his life to missionary work and humanitarian causes, advocating for the marginalized and promoting “unity in diversity” — his episcopal motto.

Born on November 1, 1958, in Iwate, Japan, Kikuchi was the son of a catechist and raised by Swiss missionaries which greatly influenced his spiritual formation and desire to become a missionary.

Kikuchi joined the Divine Word Missionaries, took his vows in March 1985 and was ordained priest on March 15, 1986. He pursued additional studies at the Spiritual Institute of Sacred Heart in Melbourne, broadening his theological education.

Following his ordination, Kikuchi embarked on his missionary journey to Ghana, where he served from 1986 to 1992 as a parish priest in rural areas. The experience, particularly in the Archdiocese of Accra and the Diocese of Koforidua, profoundly shaped his perspective on happiness and community support. He observed that despite facing numerous challenges, the people he encountered found joy in the knowledge that they would never be forgotten or abandoned in times of difficulty.

Upon returning to Japan, Kikuchi took on various leadership positions within his order and the broader Church: provincial councilor of the Divine Word Missionaries (1994-1999); executive director of Caritas Japan (1999-2004); Bishop of Niigata (2004-2017); Archbishop of Tokyo since 2017, and president of Caritas Internationalis since May 2023.

Pope Francis elevated him to the cardinalate on December 7, 2024, making Kikuchi the seventh Japanese national to be elevated to the Sacred College.

Kikuchi’s dedication to humanitarian causes and Church leadership has been recognized through several appointment. He served as executive director of Caritas Japan from 1999 to 2004, first gaining experience working in then-Zaire, now the DRC. He was head of Caritas Asia from 2011 to 2019.

He has also held several other leadership positions including president of the Japanese bishops’ conference, and secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences.

The cardinal holds many views that align with the focus of this pontificate. He considers climate change a serious issue affecting people in Asia, particularly those in challenging social situations and poverty. He has emphasized that environmental mismanagement affects everyone regardless of nationality or geography and calls for collective action to address pressing environmental challenges.

Kikuchi views migration as one of the biggest problems facing the Church and society today. He notes that in aging societies like Japan and Korea, migrants are necessary to maintain the population, but there is often resistance to integrating them. He sees the integration of migrants, many of whom are Catholics, as a main issue for the Catholic Church to address.

The cardinal supports the concept of synodality promoted by Pope Francis. He emphasizes the importance of attentive listening, inclusivity, and creating space for all voices to be heard and valued; he sees synodality as a force for social transformation that fosters a culture of encounter and solidarity transcending borders.

In 2023, Kikuchi contributed to a book titled “LGBT and Christianity,” a volume supportive of “LGBT” rights that was edited by Aika Taira, a homosexual pastor of the Protestant United Church of Japan. Kikuchi’s archdiocese also supports an “LGBT” Catholic group, including its monthly Masses. It is not clear where he stands on same-sex blessings.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, he decided to cancel plans for his parishes to provide services to participants and support staff of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, requesting visitors to refrain from visiting churches. This decision, while potentially controversial, was made in response to Japan’s fourth state of emergency due to the pandemic.

Mission and evangelization are important for the cardinal; he sees them as vital to “sow and witness the Gospel in our society today.”

Kikuchi has been a staunch advocate for dialogue with North Korea, seeing it as the “only solution to peaceful coexistence in this part of Asia.”

The cardinal speaks Japanese and English.