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Book by Yaa Gyasi

Yaa Gyasi

ヤア・ジャシ

Ghanaian-American novelist

Yaa Gyasi (born 1989) is a Ghanaian American novelist. Born in Ghana, she moved to the United States with her family as a child. She is widely acclaimed for novels that explore history, memory, race, identity, migration, and family across generations. Her debut novel, Homegoing, received…

Book by YABE Kinjiro

YABE Kinjiro

谷部 金次郎

Chef

Kinjiro Yabe (born 1946) is a Japanese chef and author. At the age of 17, he joined the Imperial Household Agency's culinary department, where he trained under Tokuzo Akiyama, the legendary "Emperor's chef." For the next 26 years, he prepared daily meals and ceremonial cuisine for Emperor Shōwa and…

Book by YABE Kyonosuke

YABE Kyonosuke

矢部 京之助

Sports Scientist

Kyonosuke Yabe was a sports scientist and professor emeritus at Nagoya University. He contributed to the development of adapted physical activity and sport for people with disabilities. His writing on fatigue and physical capacity connects scientific understanding of the body with exercise suited…

Book by Yael van der Wouden

Yael van der Wouden

ヤエル・ファン・デル・ウーデン

Writer

Yael van der Wouden (born 1987) is a Dutch novelist, essayist, and creative writing teacher. Born in Tel Aviv to an Israeli mother and a Dutch father, she moved to the Netherlands at the age of ten and studied comparative literature at Utrecht University and Binghamton University. Her writing…

Book by YAGI Emi

YAGI Emi

八木 詠美

Novelist

Emi Yagi, born in 1988, is a Japanese novelist and editor from Nagano Prefecture. Her debut novel, “Kushin Techo,” published in English as “Diary of a Void,” won the Dazai Osamu Prize in 2020. It follows a woman burdened with menial tasks at work because of her gender who impulsively claims to be…

Book by yagi jun

yagi jun

矢樹 純

Author, manga original author

Jun Yagi is a Japanese mystery novelist and manga writer. She made her literary debut in 2012 after receiving the Excellence Award in the 10th "Kono Mystery ga Sugoi!" Awards for "S no Tame no Oboegaki: Kagomeso Renzoku Satsujin Jiken." Known for intricate plotting, carefully crafted foreshadowing,…

Book by YAHANO Kaoru

YAHANO Kaoru

矢羽野 薫

Translator

Kaoru Yahano (born 1969) is an English-to-Japanese translator whose work spans science, psychology, business, and history. Born in Chiba Prefecture, she graduated from Keio University’s Faculty of Law and worked for a company before becoming a translator. Exploring the limits of human survival,…

Book by YAJIMA Fumio

YAJIMA Fumio

矢島 文夫

Linguist, Oriental scholar, translator

Yajima Fumio (1928–2006) was a scholar and translator who studied the languages, myths, and writing systems of the ancient Near East. He also served as director of the Asia and Africa Library in Japan. In “Kaidoku Kodai Moji,” a book about deciphering ancient scripts, he recounts Champollion’s work…

Book by YAMADA Fumi

YAMADA Fumi

山田 文

Translator

Fumi Yamada is a Japanese translator working across social history, business, and literature for younger readers. Christine Rosen’s “The Extinction of Experience” asks what is lost when face-to-face encounters, handwriting, waiting, and other embodied experiences are increasingly mediated by…

Book by yamada futaro

yamada futaro

山田 風太郎

Novelist

Futaro Yamada (1922–2001), born Seiya Yamada, was a novelist whose work ranged from detective fiction and fantastical ninja tales to historical fiction set in the Meiji era. Born into a medical family in Hyogo Prefecture, he lost both parents during childhood. After moving to Tokyo, he studied at…

Book by YAMADA Hiroki

YAMADA Hiroki

山田 裕樹

Literary Editor

Hiroki Yamada (born 1953) is a Japanese literary editor from Tokyo. He joined the publisher Shueisha in 1977 and spent more than forty years editing books, the literary magazine “Shōsetsu Subaru,” and paperbacks. His work included Kensō Kitakata’s “Dai Suikoden” series, and he also served as an…

Book by yamada taichi

yamada taichi

山田 太一

Screenwriter, Novelist

Taichi Yamada (1934–2023) was a Japanese screenwriter and novelist. Born in Asakusa, Tokyo, he graduated from Waseda University and joined Shochiku, where he worked as an assistant director under filmmaker Keisuke Kinoshita before becoming a television dramatist. Through restrained dialogue and…

Book by YAMADA Takeshi

YAMADA Takeshi

山田 武

Biology researcher

Takeshi Yamada is a biology researcher whose work addresses the functions and mechanisms of programmed cell death. He worked at Toho University’s School of Medicine and wrote about apoptosis for general readers. His coauthored writing explains how the death of cells helps shape organisms and…

Book by YAMADA Toshihiro

YAMADA Toshihiro

山田 俊弘

Ecologist

Toshihiro Yamada (1969–) is a Japanese ecologist and a professor at Hiroshima University’s Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life. He earned his doctorate in science from Osaka City University and specializes in conservation biology and forest ecology. Conducting fieldwork mainly in the…

Book by YAMADA Yoshiaki

YAMADA Yoshiaki

山田 美明

Translator

Yoshiaki Yamada is a Japanese translator working from English and French, with nonfiction translations in economics, politics, history, and art. In Gabriel Zucman’s “Chofuyuso ni wa Kazei seyo,” he introduces an analysis of how billionaires avoid income tax and an argument for taxing their wealth.…

Book by yamagata hiroo

yamagata hiroo

山形 浩生

Critic, Translator

Hiroo Yamagata (born 1964) is a Japanese critic and translator working across economics, literature, science, and computing. Born in Tokyo, he completed graduate studies in urban engineering at the University of Tokyo and a master’s program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for…

Book by YAMAGISHI Yoichi

YAMAGISHI Yoichi

山岸 洋一

Certified Public Accountant

Yoichi Yamagishi is a Japanese certified public accountant, a professor at SBI Graduate School, and an adviser to AGS Consulting. After graduating from Waseda University, he joined Nomura Securities, where he spent many years working on mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings. He…

Book by YAMAGUCHI Atsushi

YAMAGUCHI Atsushi

山口 厚

Legal scholar, professor emeritus at…

Atsushi Yamaguchi (born 1953) is a Japanese legal scholar specializing in criminal law. After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he served on its faculty for many years before becoming Professor Emeritus of both the University of Tokyo and Waseda University. Widely regarded as one of Japan's…

Book by YAMAGUCHI Makoto

YAMAGUCHI Makoto

山口 誠

Sociologist

Makoto Yamaguchi (born 1973) is a Japanese scholar of tourism and media studies and Professor at Dokkyo University. His research focuses on tourism, media, and historical sociology, with particular attention to the history of travel culture and the relationship between media and modern society.…

Book by YAMAGUCHI Masaya

YAMAGUCHI Masaya

山口 昌哉

Mathematician

Masaya Yamaguchi was a mathematician and professor emeritus at Kyoto University, where he also served as dean of the Faculty of Science. His writing on chaos and fractals introduces the complexity produced by nonlinear phenomena, connecting mathematical ideas with patterns in nature.

Book by YAMAGUCHI Ryozo

YAMAGUCHI Ryozo

山口 了三

Food/health related authors

Ryozo Yamaguchi contributed to a Japanese book on vegetables and the prevention of thrombosis, coauthored with Noriko Igarashi and Kazuko Namiki. The work connects familiar foods with questions about health, introducing readers to a scientific perspective on diet.

Book by YAMAGUCHI Shinichi

YAMAGUCHI Shinichi

山口 真一

Economist, Associate Professor, Global…

Shinichi Yamaguchi (1986–) A Japanese economist and social informatics scholar, and professor and senior research fellow at the Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM), International University of Japan. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Keio University. Using econometric and quantitative…

Book by YAMAGUCHI Shoko

YAMAGUCHI Shoko

山口 昌子

International journalist, translator

Shoko Yamaguchi is a Japanese international-affairs journalist and translator whose reporting has focused on French politics, society, and culture. After graduating in French literature from Keio University, she studied journalism at CFJ in Paris on a French government scholarship in 1969–1970. At…

Book by yamaguchi shu

yamaguchi shu

山口 周

Independent researcher, author

Shu Yamaguchi (1970–) is an independent researcher, author, and public speaker. After studying philosophy at Keio University and completing a master’s degree in aesthetics and art history, he worked for Dentsu and the Boston Consulting Group before establishing his current career at the…

Book by yamaguchi tsubasa

yamaguchi tsubasa

山口 つばさ

Manga artist

Tsubasa Yamaguchi is a Japanese manga artist best known for works that explore art, creativity, and personal growth. Through carefully observed characters and realistic portrayals of artistic practice, her manga depict the challenges and rewards of pursuing creative expression. Her best-known work,…

Book by YAMAKAWA Kiyohiro

YAMAKAWA Kiyohiro

山川 清弘

Economic journalist, Toyo Keizai Inc.…

Kiyohiro Yamakawa (born 1967) is a Japanese business journalist specializing in corporate analysis, industry trends, and the history of Japanese business groups. After graduating from Waseda University, he joined Toyo Keizai Inc., where he covered a wide range of industries including broadcasting,…

Book by YAMAKAWA Shizuo

YAMAKAWA Shizuo

山川 静夫

Announcer, entertainment critic,…

Shizuo Yamakawa (born 1933) is a Japanese announcer, performing arts critic, and essayist from Shizuoka Prefecture. After graduating from Kokugakuin University, he joined NHK in 1956 and became widely known as a host of programs including the annual “NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen,” “Hiru no Present,” and…

Book by YAMAMORI Mika

YAMAMORI Mika

やまもり 三香

Manga artist

Mika Yamamori is a Japanese manga artist from Ishikawa Prefecture. She made her debut in 2005 with “Kimi no Kuchibiru kara Maho” and later created such shojo manga as “Hirunaka no Ryusei” (“Daytime Shooting Star”) and “Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet.” “Daytime Shooting Star,” which follows a high…

Book by yamamoto fumio

yamamoto fumio

山本 文緒

Novelist

Fumio Yamamoto (1962–2021) was a Japanese novelist. After working as an office employee, she began her literary career writing about the loneliness, dependency, and unfulfilled desires experienced by women within everyday relationships, marriages, workplaces, and families. She received the…

Book by YAMAMOTO Hiroki

YAMAMOTO Hiroki

山本 浩貴

Cultural researcher, art historian

Hiroki Yamamoto (born 1986) is a Japanese cultural studies scholar and art historian. He is an associate professor at Jissen Women’s University. His research examines modern and contemporary art in relation to war, colonialism, migration, discrimination, and other social and historical forces.…

Book by YAMAMOTO Koji

YAMAMOTO Koji

山本 巧次

Novelist, Mystery writer

Koji Yamamoto (born 1960) is a Japanese novelist. Born in Wakayama Prefecture, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at Chuo University and began writing fiction while working for a railway company. He made his literary debut in 2015 with "Oedo Kagaku Sosa Hatchobori no Oyu," a revised version of a…

Book by YAMAMOTO Maasa

YAMAMOTO Maasa

山本 真麻

Translator

Maasa Yamamoto is an English–Japanese translator working on nonfiction, business, and technology. She studied English literature at Keio University, worked for a machinery manufacturer, and began freelancing in 2013. Her translation of Bernard Marr’s Data Strategy concerns the purposes and planning…

Book by YAMAMOTO Mariko

YAMAMOTO Mariko

山本 真理子

Children’s author

Mariko Yamamoto (1926–) A Japanese children's author born in Wakayama. After moving frequently with her family because of her father's military assignments, she settled in Hiroshima in 1944 and experienced the atomic bombing of the city on August 6, 1945. After the war, she pursued creative writing…

Book by YAMAMOTO Satoshi

YAMAMOTO Satoshi

山本 聡

Computer-related authors

Satoshi Yamamoto contributed to an introductory Japanese book on computer viruses. The coauthored work explains what viruses are and introduces basic countermeasures, giving users knowledge with which to understand and respond to security problems.

Book by YAMAMOTO Seiji

YAMAMOTO Seiji

山本 正二

Death image diagnosis researcher

Seiji Yamamoto works on autopsy imaging and serves as representative director of the Autopsy Imaging Information Center. He investigates how CT and MRI can assist in determining causes of death and improving medical safety. His publishing and professional work explain the social role of postmortem…

Book by yamamoto shichihei

yamamoto shichihei

山本 七平

Critic/Publisher

Shichihei Yamamoto (1921–1991) was a Japanese social critic and publisher born in Tokyo. He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin’s higher commercial division and served in the Philippines during the Second World War, returning to Japan after captivity. In 1958, he established Yamamoto Shoten, publishing…

Book by YAMAMOTO Takao

YAMAMOTO Takao

山本 隆雄

Computer-related authors

Takao Yamamoto contributed to an introductory Japanese book on computer viruses. The coauthored work explains their mechanisms and countermeasures for general readers, helping users understand problems associated with the spread of personal computing.

Book by YAMAMOTO Tatsuhiko

YAMAMOTO Tatsuhiko

山本 龍彦

Legal scholar, constitutional law…

Tatsuhiko Yamamoto (born 1976) is a Japanese scholar of constitutional law. He is a professor at Keio University Law School, deputy director of the Keio University Global Research Institute, and co-director of the university’s X Dignity Center. His research examines constitutional law, privacy,…

Book by YAMAMOTO Tomoko

YAMAMOTO Tomoko

山本 知子

Translator

Tomoko Yamamoto is a Japanese translator of French fiction and nonfiction. She graduated from Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics and completed a research course at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Journalism. Her work includes Thomas Piketty’s writings on inequality…

Book by yamanobe taro

yamanobe taro

山野辺 太郎

Novelist

Taro Yamanobe (born 1975) is a Japanese novelist from Fukushima Prefecture who grew up in Miyagi. He studied German literature at the University of Tokyo and completed a master’s degree there. He made his literary debut after winning the 55th Bungei Prize in 2018 for "Itsuka Fukai Ana ni Ochiru…

Book by YAMANOUCHI Chieko

YAMANOUCHI Chieko

山内 智恵子

Information history/Japan/US modern…

Chieko Yamanouchi is a Japanese researcher and translator working on intelligence history and modern history. Her writing examines relationships among intelligence agencies, politics, and diplomacy. “Mitrokhin Bunsho” introduces Soviet intelligence operations and their international connections…

Book by yamao yuko

yamao yuko

山尾 悠子

Novelist, fantasy literature writer,…

Yuko Yamao (born 1955) is a Japanese novelist from Okayama and a graduate of Doshisha University. Her fantastic fiction creates worlds governed by unfamiliar rules, using imagery that evokes dreams and paintings. Her linked novel “Lapis Lazuli” centres on people destined to sleep throughout the…

Book by yamaoka junichiro

yamaoka junichiro

山岡 淳一郎

Nonfiction writer

Junichiro Yamaoka (born 1959) is a Japanese nonfiction writer. Born in Ehime Prefecture, he worked for a publishing-related company and a writers' collective before becoming an independent writer. With "people and their times" and the relationship between the public and private spheres as recurring…

Book by yamaoka sohachi

yamaoka sohachi

山岡 荘八

Novelist, Writer

Sohachi Yamaoka (1907–1978) was a Japanese historical novelist from Niigata Prefecture. After working as a journalist, he became a prolific writer of historical fiction, portraying figures from Japan’s Warring States period through the Edo, Bakumatsu, and Meiji eras. His best-known work, "Tokugawa…

Book by YAMAOKA Yoichi

YAMAOKA Yoichi

山岡 洋一

Translator

Yoichi Yamaoka (1949–2011) was a Japanese translator specializing in political and economic writing in English. His translation of Adam Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations” presents arguments about division of labor, exchange, markets, and the role of the state. John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty” examines…

Book by yamaoka yumi

yamaoka yumi

山岡 由美

Translator

Yumi Yamaoka is a Japanese translator of history, politics, economics, and nonfiction. She entered translation after working in publishing and has translated books concerning modern Japan, East Asia, and democratic institutions. Her translation of Akiko Hashimoto’s “The Long Defeat” examines the…

Book by yamasaki shunsuke

yamasaki shunsuke

山崎 俊輔

Financial planner, consumer life advisor

Shunsuke Yamasaki (1972–) A Japanese retirement adviser and financial planner, and head of Financial Wisdom. After working at organizations specializing in corporate pensions and financial planning, he served at the Pension Fund Association with responsibility for defined-contribution pension…

Book by YAMASHITA Fumio

YAMASHITA Fumio

山下 文男

Tsunami disaster historian, non-fiction…

Fumio Yamashita (1924–2011) was a Japanese historian of tsunami disasters and nonfiction writer. Born in Sanriku, Iwate Prefecture, he experienced the 1933 Shōwa Sanriku tsunami as a child, an event that shaped his lifelong commitment to documenting the history of tsunamis and promoting disaster…

Book by YAMAYA Kiyohide

YAMAYA Kiyohide

山谷 清秀

Researcher in public…

Kiyohide Yamaya (born 1989) is a Japanese researcher specializing in public administration and local government. He completed doctoral studies at Doshisha University’s Graduate School of Policy and Management and holds a doctorate in policy science. After working at Doshisha University, Hamamatsu…

Book by YAMAZAKI Akira

YAMAZAKI Akira

山崎 昭

Astronomy related author

Akira Yamazaki writes about astronomy and calendars. With Yoshio Kubo, he coauthored a book examining how days, months, and years are defined and how celestial motion relates to timekeeping. The work uses everyday calendars to illuminate the relationship between astronomy and human life.

Book by yamazaki mari

yamazaki mari

ヤマザキ マリ

Manga artist, writer, painter

Mari Yamazaki (born 1967) is a Japanese manga artist, essayist, and painter. Born in Tokyo, she moved to Italy in 1984 and studied oil painting and art history at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. She began working as a manga artist in 1997 and lived in Egypt, Syria, Portugal, and the…

Book by YAMAZAKI Masahiro

YAMAZAKI Masahiro

山崎 雅弘

Writer

Masahiro Yamazaki (1967–) is a Japanese military historian, conflict-history researcher, and author. He has analyzed wars and conflicts throughout history from perspectives that include not only military affairs but also politics, ethnicity, religion, society, and culture. Alongside writing on…

Book by YANAGAWA Hiroshi

YANAGAWA Hiroshi

柳川 弘志

Life science researcher

Hiroshi Yanagawa is a life scientist associated with Keio University. His research examines interactions among proteins and how molecular relationships produce biological functions. His writing for general readers introduces ways of understanding life through molecules, including RNA.

Book by YANAGIDA Hiroaki

YANAGIDA Hiroaki

柳田 博明

Materials Scientist

Hiroaki Yanagida was a materials scientist whose work included ceramics and intelligent materials. He researched and taught at the University of Tokyo and other institutions. By investigating relationships between structure and properties, he explored how materials themselves can provide functions…

Book by YANAGIDA Hisashi

YANAGIDA Hisashi

柳田 尚

Medical writer

Hisashi Yanagida writes about pain for general readers. His work considers chronic pain and experiences that cannot be understood simply as warning signals from the body. It approaches pain through its relationship with human life and experience as well as its physical dimensions.

Book by YANAGIDA Mitsuhiro

YANAGIDA Mitsuhiro

柳田 充弘

Molecular cell biologist

Mitsuhiro Yanagida is a molecular and cellular biologist whose career includes research at Kyoto University and institutions abroad. He helped establish Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Biostudies. His writing for general readers introduces ways of understanding life through the activities of…

Book by YANAKA Hitomi

YANAKA Hitomi

谷中 瞳

Computational linguistics/natural…

Hitomi Yanaka is a Japanese computational linguist and researcher in natural language processing. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo and a Team Director at the RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP). After earning her Ph.D. in Information Science and Technology…

Book by YANASE Takashi

YANASE Takashi

やなせ たかし

Manga artist, Picture book author, Poet

Takashi Yanase (1919–2013) A Japanese manga artist, picture-book author, poet, and lyricist. After the Second World War, he worked for the Kochi Shimbun newspaper and in the advertising department of Mitsukoshi before becoming an independent manga artist. His creative work ranged across comics,…

Book by Yang Gui Ja

Yang Gui Ja

梁 貴子

Novelist

Yang Gui-ja (1955–) is a South Korean novelist. Born in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, she studied Korean literature at Wonkwang University and made her literary debut in 1978 after receiving a new-writer award from the magazine Munhak Sasang. Her fiction portrays the lives of ordinary people and…

Book by Yang Shuang-zi

Yang Shuang-zi

楊 双子

Novelist, subculture/popular literature…

Yang Shuang-zi (born 1984) is a Taiwanese novelist and scholar of popular literature and subculture. Her birth name is Yang Jo-tzu, and Yang Shuang-zi was originally a shared pen name with her twin sister, Yang Jo-hui; she continued writing under the name after her sister’s death. Her fiction draws…

Book by Yanis Varoufakis

Yanis Varoufakis

ヤニス・バルファキス

Economist, politician

Yanis Varoufakis (born 1961) is a Greek economist, politician, and professor at the University of Athens. Specializing in game theory, political economy, and the global economy, he served as Greece's Minister of Finance during the country's debt crisis in 2015. Drawing on both academic research and…

Book by Yann Martel

Yann Martel

ヤン・マーテル

Novelist

Yann Martel (born 1963) is a Canadian novelist. Born in Spain to a Canadian diplomatic family, he spent much of his childhood in different countries, an experience that has shaped his interest in religion, philosophy, and the power of storytelling. In 2002, he won the Booker Prize for "Life of Pi."…

Book by YANO Arou

YANO Arou

矢野 アロウ

Novelist

Yano Arou (born 1973) is a Japanese science fiction writer. He made his literary debut after winning the 11th Hayakawa Science Fiction Contest Grand Prize with "Horizon Gate: Phenomenon Hunter" in 2023. His fiction combines rigorous scientific ideas with large-scale speculative world-building,…

Book by YANO Machiko

YANO Machiko

矢野 真千子

Translator

Machiko Yano is a Japanese translator specializing in nonfiction on medicine, biology, and natural history. In Steven Johnson’s “The Ghost Map,” she translated an investigation of a nineteenth-century London cholera outbreak and the people who traced its source. The narrative connects an inquiry…

Book by YASAKA Arisa

YASAKA Arisa

八坂 ありさ

Translator

Arisa Yasaka is a Japanese translator whose work includes cultural history and nonfiction. A graduate of Rikkyo University’s Faculty of Letters, she began studying translation with Sadatoku Bekku in 1995. Her co-translation of Lawrence Wright’s history of the bed explores how bedrooms and sleeping…

Book by YASHIRO Michiko

YASHIRO Michiko

屋代 通子

Translator

Michiko Yashiro is a Japanese translator working on natural science, culture, and language. Born in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, she entered translation after working in publishing. Alongside her scientific translations, she has been involved in supporting young people who have experienced…

Book by YASUDA Yoshinori

YASUDA Yoshinori

安田 喜憲

Environmental archaeologist

Yoshinori Yasuda (1946–2026) A Japanese environmental archaeologist who served as a professor at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies and the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Tohoku University. Using scientific methods including pollen analysis, lake sediments, and…

Book by YASUHARA Kazumi

YASUHARA Kazumi

安原 和見

Translator

Kazumi Yasuhara is a Japanese translator of English-language fiction, history, and science. She graduated in Western history from the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Letters. Her new translations of Fredric Brown’s collected science-fiction stories introduce the author’s inventive premises, humor,…

Book by YASUHARA Mitsu

YASUHARA Mitsu

安原 実津

Translator

Mitsu Yasuhara is a Japanese translator working from German, with publications in fiction and nonfiction. Thomas Knüwer’s novel published in Japanese as “Guderias Shinda Ie” intertwines an elderly woman’s refusal to evacuate during a flood with memories surrounding her lost son. Rolf Dobelli’s “The…

Book by yasuhide saeki

yasuhide saeki

佐伯 泰英

Novelist, Photographer

Yasuhide Saeki (born 1942) is a Japanese novelist known for historical fiction. After graduating from the Department of Cinema at Nihon University College of Art, he worked as a photographer and spent time in Spain and France, where bullfighting became one of his principal subjects. He later turned…

Book by YASUI Shota

YASUI Shota

安井 翔太

Data scientist, economist

Shota Yasui is a Japanese data scientist and economist. After earning a master's degree in economics from the Norwegian School of Economics, he joined CyberAgent in 2013, where he worked on advertising effectiveness, machine learning for advertising technology, and data-driven decision-making. His…

Book by YASUKAWA Kosuke

YASUKAWA Kosuke

安川 康介

Physician, American Internal Medicine…

Kosuke Yasukawa (born 1982) is a Japanese physician practicing internal medicine in the United States. Born in Hyogo Prefecture, he graduated from Keio University School of Medicine in 2007 and completed his initial clinical training at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center before moving to the…

Book by Yasuko Imanishi

Yasuko Imanishi

今西 康子

Translator

Yasuko Imanishi is a Japanese translator of nonfiction on science, psychology, and history. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, she translates books that connect natural processes with human societies. Giulio Boccaletti’s “Water” follows the ways that securing and managing water have shaped states and…

Book by yasunari kawabata

yasunari kawabata

川端 康成

Novelist, literary critic, 1968 Nobel…

Yasunari Kawabata (1899–1972) was a Japanese novelist and the first Japanese recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded in 1968. Born in Osaka, he graduated from the University of Tokyo, where he co-founded the literary magazine Bungei Jidai and became a leading figure of the…

Book by yasuoka masahiro

yasuoka masahiro

安岡 正篤

Positive scholar, philosopher, thinker

Masahiro Yasuoka (1898–1983) was a Japanese philosopher of Eastern thought and educator. Drawing on the Chinese classics, Confucianism, and Wang Yangming's philosophy, he became one of the leading intellectuals of the Showa era, advocating the study of human character, leadership, and moral…

Book by YASUOKA Masayasu

YASUOKA Masayasu

安岡 正泰

Businessman, researcher of oriental…

Masayasu Yasuoka (1931–2021) was a Japanese businessman and scholar of Eastern thought. The second son of the renowned philosopher Masahiro Yasuoka, he graduated from Waseda University and spent most of his business career at Nippon Express, where he served in senior executive positions, including…

Book by yasutaka tsutsui

yasutaka tsutsui

筒井 康隆

Novelist, Playwright, Actor

Yasutaka Tsutsui (born 1934) is a Japanese novelist and science fiction writer from Osaka. He began his literary career after founding the science fiction magazine "NULL" in 1960 and gaining the attention of mystery writer Edogawa Rampo. Starting with science fiction, Tsutsui developed a…

Book by yazawa eiichi

yazawa eiichi

谷沢 永一

Literary critic, bibliographer,…

Eiichi Tanizawa (1929–2011) was a Japanese scholar of modern literature and a critic, born in Osaka. While teaching at Kansai University, he founded the literary magazine “Enpitsu” with writers including Takeshi Kaikō and continued to publish reviews and essays. “Kanpon Kamitsubute,” a collection…

Book by Yefu

Yefu

野夫

Writer, Poet, Journalist

Yefu (born Zheng Shiping in 1962) is a Chinese independent writer, poet, and journalist. Born in Lichuan County, Hubei Province, he graduated from Wuhan University and worked in public security before resigning in response to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. After managing a publishing…

Book by Yiyun Li

Yiyun Li

イーユン・リー

Writer

Yiyun Li (born 1972) is a Chinese-born American novelist and essayist. After studying at Peking University, she moved to the United States and earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Writing in English, she explores themes of memory, exile, family, grief, and the complexities of human…

Book by yo kaiei

yo kaiei

楊 海英

Cultural anthropologist

Haiying Yang (Yang Haiying, born 1964) is a cultural anthropologist and Professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Shizuoka University. Born in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, he graduated from Beijing Second Foreign Languages Institute before moving to Japan in 1989, where he earned a…

Book by YO Shomei

YO Shomei

葉 祥明

Picture book author, painter, poet

Shomei Yoh (1946–) A Japanese picture-book artist, painter, and poet born in Kumamoto. After graduating from Rikkyo University, he began creating picture books and made his debut in 1973 with "Boku no Benchi ni Shiroi Tori." Known for softly colored landscapes of expansive skies, fields, trees, and…

Book by YODOGAWA Nagaharu

YODOGAWA Nagaharu

淀川 長治

Film commentator, film critic

Nagaharu Yodogawa (1909–1998) was a Japanese film commentator and critic who introduced cinema through magazine editing, books, television, and radio. Born in Kobe, he became an enthusiastic cinemagoer in childhood. In 1932 he joined the publicity department of United Artists’ Osaka office. After…

Book by yoichi ochiai

yoichi ochiai

落合 陽一

Media Artist

Yoichi Ochiai (born 1987) is a Japanese media artist, computer science researcher, and entrepreneur. He graduated from the University of Tsukuba’s College of Media Arts, Science and Technology and earned a PhD in Interdisciplinary Information Studies from the University of Tokyo in 2015. A…

Book by yoko kondo

yoko kondo

近藤 ようこ

Manga artist

Yōko Kondō (born 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Niigata City. She made her debut while attending university and has worked across a wide range of forms, from ensemble dramas about everyday life to historical and fantastic stories informed by her knowledge of folklore and medieval Japanese…

Book by Yoko Kuyama

Yoko Kuyama

久山 葉子

Translator, Essayist

Yoko Kuyama (born 1975) is a Japanese translator and essayist who translates Swedish literature and nonfiction and writes about Nordic life and society. Born in Hyogo Prefecture, she graduated in English literature from Kobe College. After working for a travel company specializing in Northern…

Book by yoko tawada

yoko tawada

多和田 葉子

Novelist, Poet

Yoko Tawada (1960–) is a Japanese-born novelist and poet. Based in Germany since 1982, she writes in both Japanese and German, exploring themes of language, migration, identity, and cultural boundaries. Her innovative body of work has earned international acclaim, including the Akutagawa Prize, the…

Book by YOKOMORI Takeshi

YOKOMORI Takeshi

横森 剛

Combustion engineer, Professor, Faculty…

Takeshi Yokomori is a Japanese combustion engineer and Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University. Specializing in combustion science and thermal-fluid engineering, his research focuses on flame dynamics, combustion control, and energy conversion technologies. His work…

Book by yokoyama hideo

yokoyama hideo

横山 秀夫

Novelist, mystery writer, manga…

Hideo Yokoyama (born 1957) is a Japanese novelist from Tokyo. After graduating from the International University of Commerce, now Tokyo International University, he spent twelve years as a reporter for the Jomo Shimbun before becoming a freelance writer. He made his literary debut after winning the…

Book by YOKOYAMA Tsutomu

YOKOYAMA Tsutomu

横山 勲

Journalist, Kahoku Shimposha reporter

Tsutomu Yokoyama (born 1988) is a Japanese journalist and reporter for Kahoku Shimpo. His work focuses on local government, post-disaster reconstruction, and investigative journalism. He contributed to the award-winning series "The Stopped Time: Reexamining the Okawa Elementary School Disaster,"…

Book by YONAHA Jun

YONAHA Jun

與那覇 潤

Historian, Critic

Jun Yonaha (born 1979) is a Japanese critic and historian. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, he completed his doctorate at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and taught modern Japanese and East Asian history as an associate professor at Aichi Prefectural University before…

Book by yonehara mari

yonehara mari

米原 万里

Interpreter, essayist, writer

Mari Yonehara (1950–2006) was a Japanese Russian interpreter, essayist, novelist, and nonfiction writer. Having spent much of her childhood in Prague, Czechoslovakia, where she received a Russian-language education, she developed exceptional linguistic skills that later established her as one of…

Book by yonezawa honobu

yonezawa honobu

米澤 穂信

Novelist, Mystery writer

Honobu Yonezawa (born 1978) is a Japanese novelist from Gifu Prefecture. His fiction uses logical deduction to uncover hidden motives and desires, ranging from everyday puzzles to crime and historical intrigue. He made his debut in 2001 with “Hyoka,” which received an Encouragement Award in the…

Book by YOSHIDA Fukiko

YOSHIDA Fukiko

吉田 扶希子

Folklorist

Fukiko Yoshida is a Japanese folklorist who studies mountain worship and traditional narratives. She teaches folklore as a part-time lecturer at Seinan Gakuin University. In “Sefurisan Shinko no Genryu,” she examines shrine and temple histories, festivals, and stories associated with Mount Sefuri…

Book by YOSHIDA Harumi

YOSHIDA Harumi

吉田 春美

Translator

Harumi Yoshida (born 1956) is a Japanese translator of French books on history, culture, and natural science. A graduate of the Department of History in Sophia University’s Faculty of Humanities, Yoshida has translated studies of medieval European life, sexuality, food culture, religion, and…

Book by YOSHIDA Michiyo

YOSHIDA Michiyo

吉田 三知世

Translator of scientific books

Michiyo Yoshida is a Japanese translator working in both directions between English and Japanese, with a substantial body of work in physics, mathematics, and the history of science. Born in Kyoto, she studied physics at Kyoto University and worked for a technology company before entering…

Book by YOSHIDA Mitsuru

YOSHIDA Mitsuru

吉田 満

Writer, Bank of Japan employee

Mitsuru Yoshida (1923–1979) was a Japanese writer and former naval officer. Mobilized while studying law at Tokyo Imperial University, he served as a junior officer aboard the battleship Yamato and survived its final mission toward Okinawa in April 1945. After the war, he worked for the Bank of…

Book by YOSHIDA Shuntaro

YOSHIDA Shuntaro

吉田 俊太郎

Translator

Shuntaro Yoshida is a Japanese translator of English-language books on film, acting, music, and psychology. Judith Weston’s “Directing Actors” introduces ways for directors and actors to work together in developing performances. Michael Ondaatje’s conversations with Walter Murch examine how editing…

Book by YOSHIDA Takashi

YOSHIDA Takashi

吉田 天士

Virologist

Takashi Yoshida (born 1970) is a Japanese microbiologist and professor at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Agriculture. Born in Kobe, he holds a doctorate in agricultural science and specializes in aquatic microbiology and virology. His research examines interactions between aquatic…

Book by YOSHIDA Yoshiko

YOSHIDA Yoshiko

吉田 良子

French translator

Yoshiko Yoshida (born 1959) is a Japanese translator working from French. She graduated from Waseda University’s School of Letters. Camille Emmanuelle’s book published in Japanese as “Hanekaeri to Trauma” explores psychological effects on people supporting someone who has experienced trauma.…

Book by yoshida yutaka

yoshida yutaka

吉田 裕

Historian, Professor Emeritus of…

Yutaka Yoshida (born 1954) is a Japanese historian and professor emeritus at Hitotsubashi University who specializes in modern Japanese military and political history. He also serves as director of the Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage. His research examines the Japanese military and the…

Book by YOSHIHARA Kanon

YOSHIHARA Kanon

由原 かのん

Historical novel writer

Yoshihara Kanon is a Japanese historical fiction writer. Born in Tokyo and based in Fukui Prefecture, she won the 99th All Yomimono New Writers' Award in 2019 and made her literary debut with the story collection "Kubizamurai: Strange Tales from Edo", which includes a revised version of the…

Book by YOSHII Chizu

YOSHII Chizu

吉井 智津

Translator

Chizu Yoshii is a Japanese translator of English-language fiction, memoirs, and social nonfiction. She graduated from the Department of English Studies at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies. Her translation of Nadia Murad’s “The Last Girl” follows a Yazidi woman’s abduction by Islamic State,…

Book by yoshikawa hiroshi

yoshikawa hiroshi

吉川 洋

Economist, Professor Emeritus of the…

Hiroshi Yoshikawa (1951–2025) was a Japanese economist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo. Specializing in macroeconomics and economic policy, he conducted influential research on Japan's economic growth, fiscal and monetary policy, and social security. He also played a leading role…

Book by yoshikazu yasuhiko

yoshikazu yasuhiko

安彦 良和

Manga artist, animator, anime director,…

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (born 1947) is a Japanese manga artist, animation director, and character designer. He played a central role in the creation of *Mobile Suit Gundam* as its character designer and animation director, helping shape one of the most influential franchises in the history of Japanese…

Book by yoshimoto takaaki

yoshimoto takaaki

吉本 隆明

Poet, Critic

Takaaki Yoshimoto (1924–2012) was a Japanese poet, literary critic, and thinker. Born in Tsukishima, Tokyo, he graduated from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and began writing poetry and criticism while working in industry. He criticized writers who obscured their wartime responsibility and…

Book by yoshino sei

yoshino sei

吉野 せい

Writer

Sei Yoshino (1899–1977) was a Japanese writer best known for her lyrical essays and autobiographical prose rooted in rural life. Born in Fukushima Prefecture, she spent most of her life in the countryside, where her experiences as a farmer's wife profoundly shaped her writing. Although she began…

Book by Yoshinori Konno

Yoshinori Konno

近能 善範

Management scholar

Yoshinori Konno (born 1969) is a scholar of innovation management and business strategy. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1992 and worked at a regional bank before returning to graduate study. He earned his doctorate in economics at the University of Tokyo in 2003 and joined Hosei…

Book by YOSHIZATO Katsutoshi

YOSHIZATO Katsutoshi

吉里 勝利

Developmental and regenerative biologist

Katsutoshi Yoshizato is a biologist specializing in developmental and regenerative biology. He has contributed to research, teaching, and administration at Hiroshima University. His writing on trace elements examines how the substances that make up the body participate in the processes of life.

Book by YOSHIZAWA Yasukazu

YOSHIZAWA Yasukazu

吉沢 康和

Nuclear physics/nuclear chemistry…

Yasukazu Yoshizawa worked on research and publications in nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry. His introductory writing on elements explains atoms and the foundations of matter for general readers, connecting nuclear research with fundamental questions about what substances are made of.

Book by Youngchan

Youngchan

ヨンチャン

Manga artist

Youngchan (born 1992) is a South Korean manga artist from Busan. After finishing high school, he moved to Japan and studied manga at Kyoto Seika University. His work “Yahoo Island” won the grand prize at the fourth THE GATE competition, and he made his serialization debut in 2018 with the rowing…

Book by yu suzunoki

yu suzunoki

鈴ノ木 ユウ

Manga artist

You Suzunoki (born 1973) is a Japanese manga artist from Yamanashi Prefecture. After pursuing a career as a rock musician, he turned to manga and received recognition in the general division of the Tetsuya Chiba Award for “Tokyo Folkman / Tokai no Tsuki” in 2007 and “Ebi Chāhan” in 2010. His…

Book by yu takita

yu takita

滝田 ゆう

Manga artist

Yu Takita (1931–1990) was a Japanese manga artist and essayist whose real name was Yusaku Takita. Raised in Terajimacho, Tokyo, he apprenticed under manga artist Suiho Tagawa and worked in the rental-manga market before gaining wider recognition through the alternative manga magazine Garo. His…

Book by yudetamago

yudetamago

ゆでたまご

Manga artist

Yudetamago is a Japanese manga duo consisting of Takashi Shimada (1960–), who writes the stories, and Yoshinori Nakai (1961–), who creates the artwork. While still in high school, they received an honorable mention in the 1978 Akatsuka Award for “Kinnikuman,” which began serialization in Weekly…

Book by yuji aoki

yuji aoki

青木 雄二

Manga artist

Yuji Aoki (1945–2003) was a Japanese manga artist and social commentator. After working for a railway company, a municipal office, restaurants, and other businesses, he established a design company that later collapsed because of financial difficulties. Drawing on that experience, he began…

Book by Yukawa Hideki

Yukawa Hideki

湯川 秀樹

Theoretical physicist, professor…

Hideki Yukawa (1907–1981) was a Japanese theoretical physicist and the first Japanese recipient of the Nobel Prize, receiving the 1949 Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering meson theory. A professor at Kyoto University and the founding director of the Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics,…

Book by yuki akari

yuki akari

雪 朱里

Freelance writer, editor

Yuki Akari (1971–) is a Japanese writer and editor specializing in typography, design, printing, and craftsmanship. After graduating from Musashi University, she worked at a printing company during Japan’s transition from phototypesetting to desktop publishing and later served as the…

Book by YUKI Haruo

YUKI Haruo

夕木 春央

Mystery writer

Haruo Yuki is a Japanese mystery novelist. He won the 60th Mephisto Prize in 2019 for "Koshu Shokai no Kokeinin," which was published under the revised title "Koshu Shokai" as his debut novel. Known for meticulously constructed plots and ingenious fair-play mysteries, he quickly established himself…

Book by yuki ozawa

yuki ozawa

おざわ ゆき

Manga artist

Yuki Ozawa (born 1964) is a Japanese manga artist from Nagoya. She made her debut in the girls’ manga magazine Bouquet at the age of sixteen and has used family testimony to preserve the experiences of ordinary people affected by war. Her representative work, "Koori no Ten: Siberia Yokuryūki,"…

Book by yuki shinichiro

yuki shinichiro

結城 真一郎

Novelist

Shinichiro Yuki (born 1991) is a Japanese novelist from Kanagawa Prefecture and a graduate of the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law. He won the Shincho Mystery Award in 2018 for “Namonaki Hoshi no Aika,” a novel about a bank employee and an aspiring manga artist who work at a shop that trades…

Book by yukiko konosu

yukiko konosu

鴻巣 友季子

Translator/Literary Critic

Yukiko Konosu (1963–) is a Japanese literary translator and critic specializing in English-language literature. She has translated a wide range of classic and contemporary works into Japanese, including J. M. Coetzee's Disgrace, Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse,…

Book by yukio mishima

yukio mishima

三島 由紀夫

Novelist, Playwright, Critic

Yukio Mishima (1925–1970) was a Japanese novelist, playwright, and literary critic who also wrote essays. Born in Tokyo as Kimitake Hiraoka, he graduated from the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law in 1947 and joined the Ministry of Finance, leaving after nine months to pursue writing. His first…

Book by Yulia Din

Yulia Din

ユリア・ディン

Historical researcher

Yulia Din is a historian specializing in the history of Sakhalin Koreans and Sakhalin Island. Born in Tbilisi in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, now Georgia, she completed graduate studies in national history at Sakhalin State University. After working at the State Historical Archive of the…

Book by YUMOTO Takakazu

YUMOTO Takakazu

湯本 貴和

Ecologist

Takakazu Yumoto is an ecologist studying relationships between plants and animals and the conservation of biodiversity. His work at Kyoto University and the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature includes field studies in tropical forests. His writing presents forests as networks of living…

Book by Yuval Noah Harari

Yuval Noah Harari

ユヴァル・ノア・ハラリ

Historian, Tenured Professor,…

Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) is an Israeli historian. He received his PhD from the University of Oxford in 2002 and has taught history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Initially specialising in medieval and military history, he broadened his work to examine how humans built large societies…

Book by yuzuki asako

yuzuki asako

柚木 麻子

Novelist

Asako Yuzuki (born 1981) is a Japanese novelist from Tokyo. She graduated from Rikkyo University’s Department of French Literature. Her fiction explores friendship, rivalry, and loneliness among women through food, work, and everyday life. “Hooked,” originally published as “Nairu Pachi no…