Kazushige Abe
One of Japan’s most decorated authors, Kazushige Abe has won most of Japan’s major literary prizes. His award-winning books include America no Yoru (1994, Gunzo Prize for New Writers), Mujo no Sekai (1999, Noma Bungei Award), Sin Semillas (2003, Ito Sei Award and Mainichi Culture Award), Grand Finale (2005, Akutagawa Prize) and Pistils (2010, Tanizaki Junichiro Prize). Other significant works include Individual Projection (1997), Nipponia Nippon (2001), Mysterious Setting (2006), Captain Thunderbolt (2014, co-authored with Kotaro Isaka), Orga(ni)sm (2019), Black Chamber Music (2021), and Ultimate Edition (2022). Abe’s novels have been translated and published in nine languages.
Reiichiro Fukami
Mystery writer Reiichiro Fukami received the 36th Mephisto Award for his debut novel, Ultimo Trucco, in 2007. In 2008, his Ecole de Paris Satsujin Jiken ranked ninth in Japan’s Honkaku Mystery Best 10 list, and the following year, Honkaku Mystery World 2009 selected Fukami’s Tosuka no Seppun as its Golden Selection. In 2011, Ningen no Songen to Happyaku Metoru was awarded the 64th Mystery Writers of Japan Award. His debut novel Ultimo Trucco was relaunched in 2015 with the title Saigo no Torikku, and the new edition became a bestseller with over 200,000 copies sold. The same year, Mystery Arena won the Honkaku Mystery Taisho Award. A versatile writer known for mysteries that feature politics, art, music, as well as humor, Fukami received his bachelor’s degree from Keio University, his master’s degree from Université de Bourgogne, and DEA from the Université de Paris. Other works include Stradivarius wo Jozu ni Nusumu Houho (2017), Kyozou no Arabesque (2018), Shijin no Koi (2020), and Meiga Shosetsu (2021).
Shigehiko Hasumi
Film critic, literary critic, and scholar of French literature, Shigehiko Hasumi was the twenty-sixth president of the University of Tokyo, where he is currently professor emeritus. His numerous awards include the Yomiuri Bungaku Award for Han Nihongo Ron (1977), the Geijutsu Sensho Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture Award for Bonyo na Geijutsuka no Shouzo: Maxime Du Camp Ron (1988), L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Commandeur awarded by the French Ministry of Culture (1999), and the Mishima Yukio Award for Hakushaku Fujin (2016). Hasumi’s other works include Natsume Soseki Ron (1978), Hyosho Hihyo Sengen (1979), Kantoku Ozu Yasujiro (1983), Hollywood Eiga Shi Kougi: Kageri no Rekishi no Tame ni (1993), Aka no Yuwaku: Fikushon Ron Josetsu (2007), Godard, Manet, Foucault: Shiko to Kansei wo Meguru Danpenteki na Kosatsu (2008), Bovary Fujin Ron (2014), Shotto towa Nani ka (2022), and John Ford Ron (2022). Hasumi received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tokyo and his doctorate from the Université de Paris.
Kotaro Isaka
Kotaro Isaka is a best-selling author of Japanese literary fiction, whose award-winning novels include Audubon's Prayer (2000, Shincho Mystery Club Award), The Precision of the Agent of Death (2005, Mystery Writers of Japan Award), Golden Slumber (2007, Yamamoto Shugoro Award & Japan Booksellers' Award), and Gyaku Sokuratesu (2020, Shibata Renzaburo Award). Other significant works include Lush Life (2002), A Cheerful Gang Trilogy (2003-2015), Gravity's Pierrot (2003), Three Assassins (2004) The Erl-king (2005), Modern Times (2008), Bullet Train (2010), The Rest is Vacation (2012), Captain Thunderbolt (2014, co-authored with Kazushige Abe), The Mantis (2017), Seesaw Monster (2019), Pepper’s Ghost (2021), and 777 (2023). Isaka's books are published in nineteen languages. They have been the basis of multiple film and television productions, including Bullet Train (2022, Sony Pictures) directed by David Leitch and starring Brad Pitt.
Shinya Tanaka
Award-winning author Shinya Tanaka debuted with Tsumetai Mizu no Hitsuji (2005), recipient of the Shincho New Writers Award. Tanaka then became the youngest author to win the Kawabata Yasunari Award with Sanagi (2007). In 2008, Kireta Kusari, his collection of stories including Sanagi was the winner of the Mishima Yukio Award. Finally, Tanaka received the Akutagawa Award for Tomogui (2011), which became the basis of the eponymous film in 2013, directed by Shinji Aoyama. Other significant works include Moeru Ie (2013), Prime Minister A (2014), Utsukushii Kuni e no Tabi (2017), Hiyoko Taiyo (2019), Chi ni Hau Mono no Kiroku (2020), Kanzen Hanzi no Koi (2020), and Nagareru Shima to Umi no Kaibutsu (2023).