Yasutake Funakoshi: Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan, bronze high-relief sculpture by Yasutake Funakoshi, 1958–62; in Nagasaki, Japan. (more) 26 Martyrs of Japan Christian martyrs Also known as: St. Paul Miki and Companions Written by René Ostberg René Ostberg is an associate editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. René Ostberg Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 24, 2026 •History Yasutake Funakoshi: Twenty-six Martyrs of JapanTwenty-six Martyrs of Japan, bronze high-relief sculpture by Yasutake Funakoshi, 1958–62; in Nagasaki, Japan.© Shunskee/stock.adobe.com The 26 Martyrs of Japan are a group of Roman Catholic martyrs who were executed in Nagasaki on February 5, 1597, under the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the chief imperial minister of Japan. Their deaths marked the beginning of centuries of severe persecution against Christians in the country. Twenty members of the group were Japanese; the group included...

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