<P> With the passage of time, Xavier's sojourn in Japan could be considered somewhat fruitful as attested by congregations established in Hirado, Yamaguchi and Bungo . Xavier worked for more than two years in Japan and saw his successor - Jesuits established . He then decided to return to India . </P> <P> For 45 years, the Jesuits were the only Christian missionaries in Asia, and then the Franciscans began proselytizing as well . </P> <P> Christian books were published in Japanese from the 1590s on, some with more than one thousand copies and from 1601 a printing press was established under the supervision of Soin Goto Thomas, a citizen of Nagasaki with thirty Japanese working full - time at the press . Liturgical calendars were also printed after 1592 until at least 1634 . Christian solidarity made also possible missionary mail delivery throughout the country until the end of the 1620s . </P> <P> By 1579, at the height of missionary activity, there were about 130,000 converts . </P>

Who were the jesuits and why were they in japan