Cardinal Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, Metropolitan Archbishop of Osaka-Takamatsu (Japan) was born on 3 March 1949 in Tsuwasaki, Kami-Goto, Nagasaki Prefecture.

After completing his studies at the Nanzan Lyceum in Nagasaki, he entered the Saint Sulpitius Major Seminary in Fukuoka.

He was ordained on 19 March 1975 and incardinated in the diocese of Nagasaki.

Since priestly ordination he has held the following positions: parish vicar, parish priest; editor of the diocesan Bulletin and head of the diocesan Commission for Social Communications, and vicar forane.

He served as secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan from 2006 until his episcopal election.

On 13 June 2011 Benedict XVI has appointed Him as bishop of Hiroshima and on the 23 September 2011 he received episcopal consecration.

On 20 August 2014, the Holy Father Francisco appointed him as archbishop of Osaka.

Since 2016 from 2022 he has served as vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan.

On 15 August 2023 the Holy Father has erected the new metropolitan archdiocese of Osaka-Takamatsu, Japan, by incorporating the archdiocese of Osaka and the diocese of Takamatsu and  has appointed  Cardinal Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, until now archbishop of the archdiocese of Osaka, as first metropolitan archbishop of the new archdiocese of Osaka-Takamatsu.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 28 June 2018, of the Title of Santa Pudenziana.

Member of:

• Dicastery for Communication.