East Asia

In a few days time Msgr. Lazzaro You, Bishop of Daejeon, together with tens of thousands of young people from all over Asia will welcome his most illustrious guest: Pope Francis. This encounter is the main reason for the Pope's trip to the Far East. Young people are weighed down by competition and individualism, but thirsty for God and a desire to serve others. Mission in Asia and the contribution of Christianity: the history, the people, the community.

Liu Han founded and directed the Hanglong Group, a business giant with interests ranging from mining to energy. According to the judges, he used the influence of the former security czar – who is impeached - to obtain money fraudulently. The group is "like the mafia". His brother and 3 other managers sentenced to death, while 31 other directors get from 3 to 20 years in prison.

The country stops to remember the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For the first time since 1945, the number of survivors of the mass killing falls below 200,000: To prevent the loss of memory, some artists make animated movies to tell children that war only brings pain.

At a seminar on " The Sinicization of Christianity in Shanghai," the Director of the Office of Religious Affairs claims he wants to support the Protestant communities and their development. In reality, the number of Protestants belonging to communities not under government control is on the rise. A campaign to demolish crosses and churches and arrest faithful.

The two technology giants have reached an agreement to end the legal battles opened in several countries, including South Korea, Japan and Australia. However, the battle continues in U.S. courts. A war that began in 2011 over the creation and exploitation of patents.

Meeting confirmed by Msgr. Peter Kang U-il, Bishop of Cheju and President of the Korean Bishops' Conference: "Residents of Gangjeong Village and Miryang, family members of victims in the 2009 Yongsan tragedy, and dismissed Sangyong Motor workers will be attending Mass with Pope Francis on Aug. 18. It is a sign of Francis’ love for those who suffer, and will give an important message to our society".

The country stopped today to mark the anniversary of the atomic bomb that ended World War Two in 1945. The number of survivors drops below 200,000 for the first time. Hiroshima mayor reminds prime minister that "we have avoided war for 69 years thanks to the noble pacifism of the Japanese Constitution." For Tokyo archbishop, justice and war do not mix.

On Judgment Day, "we will not be able to depend on titles, credits nor privileges. The Lord will recognize us if we in turn will have recognized Him in the poor, the hungry, the indigent and marginalized, and only in who is suffering ... This is one of the fundamental criteria of verification of our Christian life”.

China's president warns the country's small ruling circle that he was disregarding "life, death and reputation" to break the "stalemate". For political analysts, the country's leadership has been rattled. For Xi, it is "make or break" time.

The Association of North Korean Catholics sent a letter accusing the Seoul government: "You refuse to cancel the military exercises with the U.S., the visit is impossible". An official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference: "It means that they find the question difficult to manage."

The quake killed more than 380 people: thousands are wounded, more than 60 thousand displaced. The affected area is unreachable because of torrential rains, causing a series of landslides blocking all communications. The diocese launches a chain of prayers and collects basic necessities to send to the population.

Shinzo Abe's conservative government releases its White Paper on defence. In it, it warns that China's "dangerous" attitude and North Korea's unpredictable nature should not be underestimated because they threaten regional peace. As China boosts its defence spending, Japan is following suits with US$ 240 billion more in military hardware.