 Seven fellow Japanese Christians, who had been arrested with Sotelo, were executed on 1 July, but he was freed following a special request by Date Masamune.Sotelo, fluent in Japanese, planned and acted as translator on a Japanese embassy sent by Date Masamune to Madrid on 28 October 1613.The embassy was headed by Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga, and crossed the Pacific Ocean to Acapulco on board the Japanese-built galleon San Juan Bautista.