Anjirô was from [[Satsuma province]], from whence he fled to [[Goa]] after committing a murder. There he met [[Francis Xavier|St. Francis Xavier]] ([[1506]]-[[1552]]) and returned to Japan with him as an interpreter. His (at times inaccurate) description of Japan - and in particular her native religions - was of considerable interest to the missionaries at Goa and was much studied. Unfortunately for Xavier, Anjirô’s poor skills as a interpreter proved a hindrance once they arrived in Japan itself.
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Anjirô was a peasant from [[Satsuma province]] who became one of the first Japanese to travel to India, and later served as an interpreter for [[Francis Xavier]].
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He is said to have either fled to [[Goa]] after committing a murder, or to have been brought there after being captured by [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] in [[Malacca]] in [[1548]].<ref>Fabio Rambelli, "The Idea of India (Tenjiku) in Pre-Modern Japan: Issues of Signification and Representation in the Buddhist Translation of Cultures," (source unknown)</ref> There he met Francis Xavier, and returned to Japan with him the following year, as an interpreter. His at times inaccurate description of Japan - and in particular of Japan's native religions - was of considerable interest to the missionaries at Goa and was much studied. Unfortunately for Xavier, Anjirô’s poor skills as a interpreter proved a hindrance once they arrived in Japan itself.