In 1540 he was appointed a missionary? to the [Portugese East Indies]?. He spent 3 years operating out of Goa, India, then pushed on to Malacca?. In Malacca he met a Japanese man who convinced him to go to Japan. Having made another trip to Goa for Jesuit administrative purposes, he left for Japan in 1549?. Xavier worked for 3 years in Japan, saw his successor-Jesuits established, and then set his sights on China. In 1552 he died at 46 without reaching mainland China. He is buried in Goa.