Why did St. Ignatius of Loyola send St. Francis Xavier to Asia?

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Engraving by Lucas Vorsterman after Peter Paul Rubens showing St. Ignatius of Loyola with a halo, hands clasped in prayer before a crucifix and open book. — St. Ignatius of Loyola Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish theologian who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1534. The Jesuit order received official papal approval in 1540 and became a key player in the Counter-Reformation of the 16th and 17th centuries.

St. Ignatius of Loyola sent St. Francis Xavier to Asia in response to a request from King John III of Portugal. The King sought diligent priests to minister to existing Christians and to evangelize the populations within his new dominions in Asia.1

Initially, Ignatius had chosen two other members of the Society of Jesus for this mission. However, when one of those individuals fell ill and could not depart, Ignatius designated Francis Xavier as his substitute. Francis accepted the assignment and left Rome for the Indies on March 15, 1540. This mission became a foundational effort for the Jesuit order, with Francis Xavier eventually becoming known as one of the greatest Roman Catholic missionaries of modern times.123