NEWSWORTHY
Three novelists picked for Japan's Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards
Three novelists were selected Wednesday to receive the country's prestigious Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards for their works that covered a range of contemporary and historical topics. Takahiro Ueda and Ryohei Machiya won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while Junjo Shindo won the Naoki ...
'Friendship for Grown-Ups' evokes the ambiguity of everyday life
Keshiki is a chapbook series published by Strangers Press designed to showcase some of the most exciting writers working in Japan today. "Friendship for Grown-Ups" by Nao-Cola Yamazaki is the second book in the series. The recipient of five Akutagawa Prize nominations, Yamazaki's ...
Hiroki Takahashi wins Akutagawa literary award, while Rio Shimamoto bags Naoki Prize
Novelist Hiroki Takahashi has won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while the Naoki Prize for popular fiction has been awarded to writer Rio Shimamoto, the selection committee said Wednesday. "Okuribi" ("Ceremonial Fire") by Takahashi, 38, depicts boys engaging in violent games at a ...
First-time writer Shinsuke Numata wins prestigious Akutagawa Prize
A 38-year-old first-time writer is the winner of the 157th Akutagawa Prize for his story "Eiri," the awards selection committee announced Wednesday. "It's a great honor, I've only written one work so far. I'll keep up the good work," said Shinsuke Numata during a news ...
Sumito Yamashita claims 156th Akutagawa Prize
The 156th Akutagawa Prize was awarded to 50-year-old author Sumito Yamashita for his book "Shinsekai (New World)," which explores his teenage experiences, the selection committee of the prestigious literary award announced Thursday. "It's delightful," said Yamashita during a news conference held at a Tokyo hotel ...
Sayaka Murata and the art of neutrality
When 36-year-old Sayaka Murata recently won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for literature, the media latched onto the author's background rather than the novel itself. Murata continues to work part-time as a convenience store clerk, and gains inspiration for characters and plots from her work ...
Convenience store worker who moonlights as an author wins prestigious Akutagawa Prize
A 36-year-old part-time convenience store employee has won the 155th Akutagawa Prize, a prestigious literary award, for a book that explores life in and around convenience stores, the selection committee announced. "I still can't believe it. It seems like a miracle," said Sayaka Murata, the ...
Yusho Takiguchi, Yukiko Motoya share Akutagawa Prize while Bumpei Aoyama wins Naoki Prize
Novelists Yusho Takiguchi and Yukiko Motoya have jointly won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for emerging authors, while Bumpei Aoyama has won the Naoki Prize for popular fiction. Takiguchi, a 33-year-old native of Tokyo, won the 154th prize for his work "Shindeinai Mono" ("Those Who Are ...
Print run for Akutagawa-winning novel 'Hibana' to top 2 million
Publisher Bungeishunju Ltd. said it will print 400,000 more copies of comedian Naoki Matayoshi's novel "Hibana" ("Spark"), bringing the total number past the 2 million mark amid robust sales after it won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize last month. The print run is expected to reach ...
The messy, lonesome worlds of Risa Wataya
In 2003, two young female authors won the Akutagawa Prize — arguably the most important literary prize in Japan. One winner was 21-year-old Hitomi Kanehara for her novel "Snakes and Earrings" ("Hebi ni Piasu"); the other was Risa Wataya, who was only 19 at ...
Novelist Masatsugu Ono has won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while the Naoki Prize for popular fiction has gone to writer Kanako Nishi, the selection committee said Thursday. Ono, a 44-year-old associate professor at Rikkyo University and a native of Oita Prefecture, won ...
Japan ranks 105th out of 136 countries on the world gender gap index even as the winners of the nation's literary prizes were all women, again.
