Federico Barbaro

Federico Barbaro (February 18, 1913 - February 29, 1996) was an Italian missionary in Japan, of the order of Salesians of Don Bosco, also active as a teacher, translator, and essayist.

He was born in Cimpello, Fiume Veneto. After taking his first vows in 1931 and philosophical studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he left for Japan in 1935. He finished his theological studies there and in 1941 was consecrated as a priest in Tokyo. Afterwards he served as a teacher of philosophy and theology at the Salesian Institute of Misaki and Tokyo as well as various private and public Japanese lecture courses. From 1950 to 1956 he directed the Salesian publisher Don Bosco Sha in Tokyo. There he produced the journal Katorikku Seikatsu (Catholic Life).

His bibliography includes over 120 publications and 2000 articles. His name is especially associated with a complete translation of the Holy Bible into modern Japanese.