Tetsu Yano (Japanese 矢野徹 Yano Tetsu; October 5, 1923 – October 13, 2004) was a Japanese translator and writer of…Tetsu Yano (Japanese 矢野徹 Yano Tetsu; October 5, 1923 – October 13, 2004) was a Japanese translator and writer of science fiction, fantasy, adventure stories and young adult novels. He was a founder and promoter of the Japanese science fiction at the dawn of this genre in Japan. Yano introduced the works of British and American science fiction writers to Japanese readers through almost half centuries from the late 1940s. He was also the first Japanese writer of the genre to visit the United States, in 1953. He took part in founding Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan (SFWJ, 日本SF作家クラブ) in 1963, and served as its president from 1978 to 1979.
Keiichiro Ryu (隆 慶一郎, Ryū Keiichirō; September 30, 1923 – November 4, 1989) was a Japanese editor, acclaimed screenplay…Keiichiro Ryu (隆 慶一郎, Ryū Keiichirō; September 30, 1923 – November 4, 1989) was a Japanese editor, acclaimed screenplay writer, and historical fiction writer.
Teiichi Fukuda (福田 定一; August 7, 1923 – February 12, 1996), also known as Ryōtarō Shiba (司馬 遼太郎), was a Japanese…Teiichi Fukuda (福田 定一; August 7, 1923 – February 12, 1996), also known as Ryōtarō Shiba (司馬 遼太郎), was a Japanese author. He is best known for his novels about historical events in Japan and on the Northeast Asian sub-continent, as well as his historical and cultural essays pertaining to Japan and its relationship to the rest of the world.
Shūsaku Endō (遠藤 周作, Endō Shūsaku; March 27, 1923 – September 29, 1996) was a Japanese writer who wrote from the…Shūsaku Endō (遠藤 周作, Endō Shūsaku; March 27, 1923 – September 29, 1996) was a Japanese writer who wrote from the perspective of a Japanese Catholic. Internationally, he is known for his 1966 historical fiction novel Silence, adapted into a 2016 film by Martin Scorsese. He was the laureate of several prestigious literary accolades, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Order of Culture, and was inducted into the Roman Catholic Order of St. Sylvester by Pope Paul VI. Together with Junnosuke Yoshiyuki, Shōtarō Yasuoka, Junzo Shono, Hiroyuki Agawa, Ayako Sono (also Catholic), and Shumon Miura, Endō is categorized as part of the "Third Generation" (that is, the third major group of Japanese writers to appear after World War II).
Sen Fujimoto (藤本泉; born February 15, 1923) was a Japanese novelist. She was best known for her Edogawa Rampo…Sen Fujimoto (藤本泉; born February 15, 1923) was a Japanese novelist. She was best known for her Edogawa Rampo Prize-winning work Toki wo Kizamu Ushio (時を刻む潮).
Shōtarō Ikenami (池波 正太郎, Ikenami Shōtarō; January 25, 1923 – May 3, 1990) was a Japanese author. He wrote a number of…Shōtarō Ikenami (池波 正太郎, Ikenami Shōtarō; January 25, 1923 – May 3, 1990) was a Japanese author. He wrote a number of historical novels. He won the Naoki Award for popular literature in 1960. Many of his historical novels were adapted for TV and cinema.
Mitsuru Yoshida (吉田 満 Yoshida Mitsuru; January 6, 1923 – September 17, 1979) was a Japanese author and naval officer.…Mitsuru Yoshida (吉田 満 Yoshida Mitsuru; January 6, 1923 – September 17, 1979) was a Japanese author and naval officer. He was born in Tokyo. He was a survivor of the battleship Yamato when it was sunk on 7 April 1945 during Operation Ten-Go, an attempt to support the defenders of Okinawa. His best-known work is Senkan Yamato-no Saigo (Requiem for Battleship Yamato), based on his personal experiences as a junior officer on Yamato's final voyage. It was made into a movie Senkan Yamato ("Battleship Yamato" Shin-Toho. Dir.: Yutaka Abe) in 1953. Another movie, Yamato, was released in 2005.
Sadamasa Motonaga (元永定正, Motonaga Sadamasa, born November, 26, 1922, in Iga Ueno, died October 3, 2011, in Takarazuka)…Sadamasa Motonaga (元永定正, Motonaga Sadamasa, born November, 26, 1922, in Iga Ueno, died October 3, 2011, in Takarazuka) was a Japanese visual artist and book illustrator, and a first-generation member of the postwar Japanese artist group Gutai Art Association, Gutai for short. Motonaga’s oeuvre, comprising paintings, objects, performances and stage art, ceramics, murals and installation artworks and picture books, is characterized by his humorous, enlivening (animating) use of biomorphic abstract shapes inspired by nature and manga cartoons, as well as the exploration of the materiality of color. He is most known for his ephemeral works from Gutai’s experimental exhibition projects, such as Liquid: Red and Works (Water) from 1955 and 1956, which used vinyl sheets and tubes filled with color-tinted water; his stage works from 1957 and 1958, which involved smoke as artistic material; and for his Informel-style paintings from the late 1950s that experimented with pouring liquid paint on to canvases. Promoted by the French art critic Michel Tapié, who during the 1950s and 1960s attempted to establish Informel as a global movement, Motonaga became one of the few Gutai members who received international and national recognition as a solo artist beyond the Gutai context. He was offered a yearlong residency by the Japan Society in New York in 1966, during which he introduced airbrushing and a hard-edge style to his paintings. After leaving Gutai in 1971, Motonaga’s work again expanded beyond painting to ceramics, interior design, murals, and public performances and installation artworks, all of which he continuously developed around his signature-style of animated biomorphic shapes. The children's picture books, which Motonaga created in collaboration with the poet and translator Shuntarō Tanikawa beginning in 1970, became bestselling books. He was married to graphic designer Etsuko Nakatsuji, with whom he also collaborated on reconstruction projects in the aftermath of the Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995.
Takayuki Kiyooka (清岡 卓行, Kiyooka Takayuki; July 29, 1922 - June 3, 2006) was a Japanese poet and novelist. He was born…Takayuki Kiyooka (清岡 卓行, Kiyooka Takayuki; July 29, 1922 - June 3, 2006) was a Japanese poet and novelist. He was born in Dalian, China, while it was Japan's leased territory, spent his youth there, and is noted for his stories about the life in Dalian. He received the Akutagawa Prize in 1969, for his story, Dalian of Acasia Flowers. He was married to Keiko Iwasaka.
Jakucho Setouchi (15 May 1922 – 9 November 2021; born Harumi Mitani), formerly known as Harumi Setouchi, was a Japanese…Jakucho Setouchi (15 May 1922 – 9 November 2021; born Harumi Mitani), formerly known as Harumi Setouchi, was a Japanese Buddhist nun, writer, and activist. Setouchi wrote a best-selling translation of The Tale of Genji and over 400 fictional biographical and historical novels. In 1997, she was honoured as a Person of Cultural Merit, and in 2006, she was awarded the Order of Culture of Japan.
Ayako Miura (三浦綾子, Miura Ayako; 25 April 1922 – 12 October 1999) was a Japanese novelist. She published over eighty…Ayako Miura (三浦綾子, Miura Ayako; 25 April 1922 – 12 October 1999) was a Japanese novelist. She published over eighty works of both fiction and non-fiction. Many of her works are considered best-sellers, and a number have been remade as feature-length films. Her debut novel, Hyōten (氷点, "Freezing Point"), was published in 1964, and won the Asahi Shimbun's Ten Million Yen Award that same year.
Seiya Yamada (山田 誠也, Yamada Seiya; January 4, 1922 – July 28, 2001), known by his pen name Futaro Yamada (山田 風太郎…Seiya Yamada (山田 誠也, Yamada Seiya; January 4, 1922 – July 28, 2001), known by his pen name Futaro Yamada (山田 風太郎, Yamada Fūtarō), was a Japanese author. He was born in Yabu, Hyogo. In 1947, he wrote a mystery short story Daruma-tōge no Jiken (達磨峠の事件; lit. "The Incident on Dharma Pass") and was awarded a prize by the magazine Houseki (宝石). He was discovered by Edogawa Rampo and became a novelist. He wrote many ninja (忍法帖 Ninpōchō series) and mystery stories. Many of his works have been adapted for film, TV, manga, and anime.
Katsuya Susaki (須崎 勝彌, Susaki Katsuya; January 1, 1922 – January 9, 2015) was a Japanese screenwriter and novelist. He…Katsuya Susaki (須崎 勝彌, Susaki Katsuya; January 1, 1922 – January 9, 2015) was a Japanese screenwriter and novelist. He is perhaps best remembered for his contributions to war films, which drew on his personal experiences as a surviving kamikaze pilot. His works often explored themes of sacrifice, camaraderie, and the human cost of conflict, reflecting the emotional impact of losing comrades in battle. The film actors were often people who had experienced war first hand.
Yasuo Maekawa (前川 康男, Maekawa Yasuo; 1921–2003) was a Japanese children's book author. He was born in Tokyo Prefecture…Yasuo Maekawa (前川 康男, Maekawa Yasuo; 1921–2003) was a Japanese children's book author. He was born in Tokyo Prefecture, and attended Waseda University.
Yasusuke Gomi (20 December 1921 – 1 April 1980), known by his pen name Kosuke Gomi (五味 康祐, Gomi Kōsuke), was a Japanese…Yasusuke Gomi (20 December 1921 – 1 April 1980), known by his pen name Kosuke Gomi (五味 康祐, Gomi Kōsuke), was a Japanese novelist active during the Shōwa period of Japan. He is primarily known for his popular fiction on historical themes.
Michiko Inukai (犬養 道子, Inukai Michiko; 20 April 1921 – 24 July 2017) was a Japanese Roman Catholic author and…Michiko Inukai (犬養 道子, Inukai Michiko; 20 April 1921 – 24 July 2017) was a Japanese Roman Catholic author and philanthropist. She was the founder of the Michiko Inukai Foundation, which provides financial aid for refugees seeking education.
Junzō Shōno (庄野 潤三, Shōno Junzō; 9 February 1921 – 21 September 2009) was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, he…Junzō Shōno (庄野 潤三, Shōno Junzō; 9 February 1921 – 21 September 2009) was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, he began writing novels after World War II. He won the 1954 Akutagawa Prize for his book Purusaido Shokei (Poolside Scene). Shōno's other award-winning books include Seibutsu (Still Life), for which he won the Shinchosha literary prize, Yube no Kumo (Evening Clouds), which was awarded the 1965 Yomiuri Prize, and Eawase (Picture Cards) which took the Noma literary prize.
Hiroyuki Agawa (阿川 弘之, Agawa Hiroyuki; December 24, 1920 – August 3, 2015) was a Japanese author. He was known for his…Hiroyuki Agawa (阿川 弘之, Agawa Hiroyuki; December 24, 1920 – August 3, 2015) was a Japanese author. He was known for his fiction centered on World War II, as well as his biographies and essays.
Akimitsu Takagi (高木 彬光, Takagi Akimitsu; 25 September 1920 – 9 September 1995) was the pen-name of a popular Japanese…Akimitsu Takagi (高木 彬光, Takagi Akimitsu; 25 September 1920 – 9 September 1995) was the pen-name of a popular Japanese crime fiction writer active during the Shōwa period of Japan. His real name was Seiichi Takagi (高木 誠一, Takagi Seiichi).
Eisuke Nakazono (中薗 英助, Nakazono Eisuke; August 27, 1920 – April 9, 2002), pen-name for Hideki Nakazono, was one of…Eisuke Nakazono (中薗 英助, Nakazono Eisuke; August 27, 1920 – April 9, 2002), pen-name for Hideki Nakazono, was one of Japan's pioneer writers of spy fiction. Nakazono was born in Fukuoka Prefecture, spent from 1938-1946 in China, and died of pneumonia at a hospital in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. He won the 1992 Yomiuri Prize for Peking hanten kyūkan nite.
Kōhan Kawauchi (川内 康範, Kawauchi Kōhan); February 26, 1920 – April 6, 2008), also known as Yasunori Kawauchi, was a…Kōhan Kawauchi (川内 康範, Kawauchi Kōhan); February 26, 1920 – April 6, 2008), also known as Yasunori Kawauchi, was a Japanese screenwriter who created various tokusatsu series, including the first, Moonlight Mask, in 1958. He was originally from Hakodate, Hokkaido. His series Warrior of Love Rainbowman (1972) is considered to be an inspiration for Go Nagai's Cutie Honey. Other tokusatsu shows he created include Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960). He also wrote the screenplay for Seijun Suzuki's Tokyo Drifter.
Moritake Kimura (Japanese: 木村 盛武, Hepburn: Kimura Moritake; 1920 – September 6, 2019) was a Japanese non-fiction…Moritake Kimura (Japanese: 木村 盛武, Hepburn: Kimura Moritake; 1920 – September 6, 2019) was a Japanese non-fiction writer. He is best known for his investigation of the Sankebetsu brown bear incident, which caused the greatest damage in the history of Japanese animal damage.
Tal-su Kim (金達寿、キム・タルス/キムダルス、김달수, Kimu Darusu/Tarusu) was a Korea-born, Japan-raised writer. He is considered the…Tal-su Kim (金達寿、キム・タルス/キムダルス、김달수, Kimu Darusu/Tarusu) was a Korea-born, Japan-raised writer. He is considered the "founding father" of Resident Korean literature. He was born in Masanhoewon-gu. Although he spent most of his life in Japan, many of his literary works are set in Korea and explore the injustices of colonial rule and its painful aftermath.
Masato Ide ( 井 手 雅人, い で ま さ と, Ide Masato?), born on January 1, 1920, in Saga, Japan and died on July 17, 1989, was a…Masato Ide ( 井 手 雅人, い で ま さ と, Ide Masato?), born on January 1, 1920, in Saga, Japan and died on July 17, 1989, was a Japanese screenwriter and novelist.
Kim Yong-ik (Korean: 김용익; May 15, 1920 – April 11, 1995), also known as Yong Ik Kim, was an early Korean–American…Kim Yong-ik (Korean: 김용익; May 15, 1920 – April 11, 1995), also known as Yong Ik Kim, was an early Korean–American writer. His works were primarily in English but also translated into other languages such as German and Korean.
Tsutomu Mizukami (水上勉, Mizukami Tsutomu; 8 March 1919 – 8 September 2004), also known as Tsutomu Minakami, was a…Tsutomu Mizukami (水上勉, Mizukami Tsutomu; 8 March 1919 – 8 September 2004), also known as Tsutomu Minakami, was a Japanese writer of novels, biographies, and plays. Mizukami's major works include The Temple of the Wild Geese, Kiga kaikyō and Bamboo Dolls of Echizen. His writings earned him, among other awards, the Tanizaki Prize and the Naoki Prize.
Tadahito "Tad" Mochinaga (持永 只仁, Mochinaga Tadahito; March 3, 1919 – April 1, 1999) was a pioneer Japanese stop-motion…Tadahito "Tad" Mochinaga (持永 只仁, Mochinaga Tadahito; March 3, 1919 – April 1, 1999) was a pioneer Japanese stop-motion animator. Having done many stop motion films in Japan, he is best known as the animator for Rankin/Bass' "Animagic" productions at his MOM Production Studio in Tokyo throughout the 1960s. He did this work in association with American director Arthur Rankin, Jr. who wrote and designed the productions before sending them to Japan for animation. In 1945, Mochinaga traveled to Xinjing in the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo set up in occupied China, to work at the Manchukuo Film Association. He stayed in China after the war and from 1950, he spent three years in Shanghai working on such films as Thank You, Kitty. He is perhaps the only major artist of the era to have worked in both the Chinese and Japanese animation industries.
Toru Nakagawa (February 14, 1919 – September 24, 2002), known by his pen name Tetsuya Ayukawa (鮎川 哲也, Ayukawa Tetsuya)…Toru Nakagawa (February 14, 1919 – September 24, 2002), known by his pen name Tetsuya Ayukawa (鮎川 哲也, Ayukawa Tetsuya), was a Japanese literary critic and novelist. He is noted for his Detective Onitsura Series of mystery stories.
Takashi Yanase (やなせ たかし, Yanase Takashi, February 6, 1919 – October 13, 2013) was a Japanese manga artist and writer…Takashi Yanase (やなせ たかし, Yanase Takashi, February 6, 1919 – October 13, 2013) was a Japanese manga artist and writer, poet, illustrator and lyricist. He is known as the creator of the picture book and animated series Anpanman. Yanase was chairman of the Japan Cartoonists Association from May 2000 to 2012.
Chihiro Iwasaki (いわさき ちひろ (岩崎 知弘), Iwasaki Chihiro; 15 December 1918 – 8 August 1974) was a Japanese artist and…Chihiro Iwasaki (いわさき ちひろ (岩崎 知弘), Iwasaki Chihiro; 15 December 1918 – 8 August 1974) was a Japanese artist and illustrator best known for her water-colored illustrations of flowers and children, the theme of which was "peace and happiness for children".
Tan Onuma (小沼 丹, Onuma Tan; September 9, 1918 - November 8, 1996) was a noted Japanese author. Onuma received his…Tan Onuma (小沼 丹, Onuma Tan; September 9, 1918 - November 8, 1996) was a noted Japanese author. Onuma received his degree in English literature from Waseda University in 1942, and in 1958 became a Waseda professor in the Faculty of Letters. He received the 1969 Yomiuri Prize for Kaichūdokei and in 1989 was named a member of the Japan Art Academy.
Motoyoshi Shimizu (清水 基吉, Shimizu Motoyoshi; August 31, 1918 – March 30, 2008) was the pen name of a Japanese novelist…Motoyoshi Shimizu (清水 基吉, Shimizu Motoyoshi; August 31, 1918 – March 30, 2008) was the pen name of a Japanese novelist and poet, active during the Shōwa and Heisei periods of Japan. His real name was Shimizu Motoyoshi (清水基嘉), pronounced the same, but written in different kanji.
Hiroshi Shima (島 比呂志, 1918–2003, real name Kaoru Kishiue,岸上 薫) was a Japanese novelist, Hansen's disease patient and…Hiroshi Shima (島 比呂志, 1918–2003, real name Kaoru Kishiue,岸上 薫) was a Japanese novelist, Hansen's disease patient and the chief editor of a literary coterie journal Kazan Chitai (Lava belt). He is famous for his letter which prompted a lawsuit resulting in compensation on account of the unconstitutionality of the Japanese leprosy prevention law.
Yoshie Hotta (堀田善衛, Hotta Yoshie; July 17, 1918 – September 5, 1998) was a Japanese writer of novels, short stories…Yoshie Hotta (堀田善衛, Hotta Yoshie; July 17, 1918 – September 5, 1998) was a Japanese writer of novels, short stories, poetry and essays, noted for his political consciousness. His most acclaimed works include Hiroba no kodoku (lit. "Solitude in the Public Square", 1951), which was awarded the Akutagawa Prize, and Kage no bubun (Shadow Pieces, 1952). Hotta has also been associated with the Atomic bomb literature genre.
Momoko Hirotsu (広津 桃子, Hirotsu Momoko; 21 March 1918 – 24 November 1988) was a Japanese novelist. She was the daughter…Momoko Hirotsu (広津 桃子, Hirotsu Momoko; 21 March 1918 – 24 November 1988) was a Japanese novelist. She was the daughter of Kazuo Hirotsu.
Toshio Shimao (島尾 敏雄, Shimao Toshio; April 18, 1917 – November 12, 1986) was a Japanese novelist. He has been called a…Toshio Shimao (島尾 敏雄, Shimao Toshio; April 18, 1917 – November 12, 1986) was a Japanese novelist. He has been called a "writer's writer", which is used as both a compliment and criticism.
Renzaburō Shibata (柴田錬三郎, Shibata Renzaburō; March 26, 1917 – June 30, 1978) was a Japanese author and Sinologist. He…Renzaburō Shibata (柴田錬三郎, Shibata Renzaburō; March 26, 1917 – June 30, 1978) was a Japanese author and Sinologist. He graduated from Keio University and won the Naoki Prize in 1951 for Iesu no Ei (lit. Descendant of Jesus). He is famous for Nemuri Kyōshirō, a series of jidaigeki novels. He also published a new Japanese translation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin.
Kyojin Onishi (大西 巨人, Ōnishi Kyojin; 1916–2014) was a Japanese novelist and critic. He was born in 1916 in Fukuoka…Kyojin Onishi (大西 巨人, Ōnishi Kyojin; 1916–2014) was a Japanese novelist and critic. He was born in 1916 in Fukuoka Prefecture and dropped out of Kyushu University. He was a Marxist throughout his life.
Shigeru Kurita (栗田 茂, Kurita Shigeru; March 15, 1916 – March 8, 1995), known by his pen name Junpei Gomikawa (五味川 純平…Shigeru Kurita (栗田 茂, Kurita Shigeru; March 15, 1916 – March 8, 1995), known by his pen name Junpei Gomikawa (五味川 純平, Gomikawa Junpei), was a Japanese novelist. He is best known for his 1958 World War II novel The Human Condition (Ningen no joken), which became a best seller. The novel became the basis for Masaki Kobayashi's film trilogy The Human Condition as well as a radio drama. His eighteen-volume novel Men and War (Senso to ningen), formed the basis for Satsuo Yamamoto's 1970–1973 film trilogy of the same name.
Nobuo Kojima (小島 信夫, Kojima Nobuo; February 28, 1915 – October 26, 2006) was a Japanese writer prominent in the postwar…Nobuo Kojima (小島 信夫, Kojima Nobuo; February 28, 1915 – October 26, 2006) was a Japanese writer prominent in the postwar era. He is most readily associated with other writers of his generation, such as Shōtarō Yasuoka, who describe the effects of Japan's defeat in World War II on the country's psyche. From an early age, Kojima read a wide variety of literature, both Japanese and Western, and such writers as Nikolai Gogol, Franz Kafka, and Fyodor Dostoevsky had a strong influence on his work. In addition to his fiction, he had a long career as a professor of English literature at Meiji University in Tokyo, publishing criticism and making translations of many major American writers, including Dorothy Parker, Irwin Shaw, and Bernard Malamud.
Hiroshi Noma (野間宏, Noma Hiroshi; February 23, 1915 – January 2, 1991) was a Japanese poet, novelist and essayist.…Hiroshi Noma (野間宏, Noma Hiroshi; February 23, 1915 – January 2, 1991) was a Japanese poet, novelist and essayist. According to literary scholar Doug Slaymaker, Noma is widely credited with having discovered or invented the style of writing called by the term "postwar literature" (sengo bungaku) in Japan.
Haruo Umezaki (梅崎春生, Umezaki Haruo; February 15, 1915 – July 19, 1965) was a Japanese writer of short stories and…Haruo Umezaki (梅崎春生, Umezaki Haruo; February 15, 1915 – July 19, 1965) was a Japanese writer of short stories and novels.
Tamio Hōjō (Japanese: 北條 民雄, Hepburn: Hōjō Tamio) (1914 – 1937) was a Japanese writer. At the age of 19, he was…Tamio Hōjō (Japanese: 北條 民雄, Hepburn: Hōjō Tamio) (1914 – 1937) was a Japanese writer. At the age of 19, he was diagnosed with leprosy, entered a hospital where he would be kept in isolation for the rest of his life, and died of the disease three and a half years later. Life's First Night (いのちの初夜, Inochi no Shoya) is his representative work.
Yoshiko Shibaki (芝木好子, Shibaki Yoshiko; 7 May 1914 – 25 August 1991) was a Japanese writer of short stories and novels.…Yoshiko Shibaki (芝木好子, Shibaki Yoshiko; 7 May 1914 – 25 August 1991) was a Japanese writer of short stories and novels. She was awarded numerous prizes for her work, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Women's Literature Prize.
Kim Sa-ryang (Korean: 김사량; Hanja: 金史良; 3 March 1914 – 1950) was a Korean writer. He wrote in a variety of genres…Kim Sa-ryang (Korean: 김사량; Hanja: 金史良; 3 March 1914 – 1950) was a Korean writer. He wrote in a variety of genres including novels, plays, reports, and reviews, in two languages, Korean and Japanese. His career as a writer first began in Japan after publishing a short story written in Japanese, and his Korean-written works were later published in Korea. For his short story "Bit soge (빛 속에, Into the Light)," written in Japanese, he became the first Korean to be nominated for the Akutagawa Prize. He went to China in 1945 to join the army fighting for Korea's liberation. After the country's independence, he mostly lived and wrote in North Korea and died in 1950 during the Korean War.