News of tears flowing from a statue of Our Lady in a convent in Akita, Japan, spread through the entire nation following a series of articles in the publication Catholic Graph. Over a considerable time newspapers, magazines, radio and television have covered these events. Church authorities considered it prudent to maintain quiet.

On Easter Sunday, 1984, 22nd of April, the Most Rev. John Ito, the Bishop directly responsible, issued a pastoral letter declaring "the events of Akita" to be supernatural... Since that time pilgrims have come in ever greater numbers from all parts of Japan and from many other nations. - From the preface.