Albert Henri Charles Breton (16 July 1882 – 12 August 1954), born in Saint-Inglevert, was a French clergyman and bishop for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fukuoka.[1][2] He was ordained in 1905 and became a priest at La Société des Missions Etrangères,[2] starting his career as a missionary in Japan that year. He was first stationed at Hakodate for five years.[3] In 1910, he was a parish priest at Aomori when the church and his residence was destroyed by a fire and needed to be rebuilt. He contracted poliomyelitis mid-year and returned to France where he received medical care until 1912.[4] He collaborated with Roman Catholics in the United States and Canada until 1921.[4]
From 1921 to 1931, Breton was assigned to Tokyo.[3] He trained nuns acquired from the United States and operated kindergarten, orphanage, and hospice foundations.[4] He was appointed bishop at Fukuoka and ordained a bishop in 1931.[2] He resigned in January 1941,[1][4] when the missionary was operated by the Priests of Saint Sulpice of Canada.[4]
Breton was appointed titular bishop of Arabissus on May 12, 1941.[2][4] He was a missionary in Tokyo from 1942 to 1952,[3] during which he expanded mission posts, opened more schools for children, and built new churches.[4] On December 8, 1941 (the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor), he was arrested by the Japanese police. He was detained until April 8, 1942.[4] On September 29, 1949, he was awarded the Legion of Honour.[4]
Breton died in 1954[1][2] and was buried in Yokosuko (Yokosuka), Japan.[3]
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