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[Breaking News]Literary award winner in Japan

TOKYO, Japan, Jan. 15 Kyodo - Novelist Ushio Hatakeyama speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 14, 2026, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors. (Kyodo)

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Literary award winner in Japan

Novelist Makoto Toriyama speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 14, 2026, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors.

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Literary award winner in Japan

Novelist Ushio Hatakeyama speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 14, 2026, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors.

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Novelist Yoshiko Shibaki

TOKYO, Japan, Sept. 30 Kyodo - Photo taken at an unidentified place on June 20, 1960, shows Japanese novelist Yoshiko Shibaki. Shibaki (1914-1991) was awarded numerous prizes, including the Akutagawa Award and the Japan Art Academy's Imperial Prize. (Kyodo)

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Japanese composer Yasushi Akutagawa

File photo taken on Dec. 16, 1950, at an unknown location shows Japanese composer Yasushi Akutagawa.

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Japanese actor Hiroshi Akutagawa

File photo taken on March 24, 1975, at an unknown location shows Japanese actor and stage director Hiroshi Akutagawa.

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No recipients of prestigious Japanese literary awards

TOKYO, Japan, July 17 Kyodo - Video taken in Tokyo on July 16, 2025, shows a notice board stating there are no recipients of the Akutagawa and Naoki literary prizes for the first half of 2025. It was the first time in 27 and a half years that both of the prestigious prizes were not awarded. (Kyodo)

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No recipients of prestigious Japanese literary awards

Photo taken in Tokyo on July 16, 2025, shows a notice board stating there are no recipients of the Akutagawa and Naoki literary prizes for the first half of 2025. It was the first time in 27 and a half years that both of the prestigious prizes were not awarded.

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No recipients of prestigious Japanese literary awards

Photo taken in Tokyo on July 16, 2025, shows a notice board stating there are no recipients of the Akutagawa and Naoki literary prizes for the first half of 2025. It was the first time in 27 and a half years that both of the prestigious prizes were not awarded.

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No recipients of prestigious Japanese literary awards

Photo taken in Tokyo on July 16, 2025, shows a notice board stating there are no recipients of the Akutagawa and Naoki literary prizes for the first half of 2025. It was the first time in 27 and a half years that both of the prestigious prizes were not awarded.

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No recipients of prestigious Japanese literary awards

Photo taken in Tokyo on July 16, 2025, shows a notice board stating there are no recipients of the Akutagawa and Naoki literary prizes for the first half of 2025. It was the first time in 27 and a half years that both of the prestigious prizes were not awarded.

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Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000

Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000=May 1,2025,Osaka

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Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000

Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000=May 1,2025,Osaka

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Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000

Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000=May 1,2025,Osaka

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Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000

Akutagawa Sakurazutsumi Park “Koinobori Festa 1000=May 1,2025,Osaka

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Literary award winners in Japan

Novelist Yui Suzuki speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 15, 2025, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors.

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Literary award winners in Japan

Novelist Yui Suzuki speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 15, 2025, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors.

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Literary award winners in Japan

TOKYO, Japan, July 18 Kyodo - Michi Ichiho, Sanzo K. Matsunaga and Aki Asahina pose with their award-winning books during a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2024. Matsunaga and Asahina won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while Ichiho won the Naoki Prize for popular fiction. (Kyodo)

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Literary award winner in Japan

Author Sanzo K. Matsunaga speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2024, after winning the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors.

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Literary award winner in Japan

Author Aki Asahina speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2024, after winning the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors.

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Literary award winners in Japan

(From L) Michi Ichiho, Sanzo K. Matsunaga and Aki Asahina pose with their award-winning books during a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2024. Matsunaga and Asahina won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while Ichiho won the Naoki Prize for popular fiction.

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Literary award winners in Japan

(From L) Michi Ichiho, Sanzo K. Matsunaga and Aki Asahina pose with their award-winning books during a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2024. Matsunaga and Asahina won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while Ichiho won the Naoki Prize for popular fiction.

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Literary award winner in Japan

Rie Kudan attends a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2024, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors.

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Literary award winners in Japan

Rie Kudan (R), poses for photos at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2024, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors, together with Akiko Kawasaki (C) and Manabu Makime (L), who won the Naoki Prize for popular fiction.

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Literary award winner in Japan

TOKYO, Japan, Aug. 25 Kyodo -The presentation ceremony of the 169th Akutagawa Prize and the Naoki Prize (sponsored by the Japan Literature Promotion Association) was held in Tokyo on the 25th.

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Akutagawa literary award winner+

Atsushi Sato (2nd from R), recipient of the Akutagawa literary award, is congratulated by his colleagues at a bookstore where he works in the Miyagi Prefecture city of Sendai in northeastern Japan on Jan. 23, 2023.

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Akutagawa literary award winner

Atsushi Sato, recipient of the Akutagawa literary award, speaks to reporters at a bookstore where he works in the Miyagi Prefecture city of Sendai in northeastern Japan on Jan. 23, 2023.

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Literary award winners in Japan

(From L) Akane Chihaya and Satoshi Ogawa pose for photos at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 19, 2023, after winning the Naoki Prize, a Japanese literary award for popular fiction, together with Atsushi Sato (3rd from L) and Iko Idogawa (far R) who won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors.

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Literary award winner in Japan

Atsushi Sato poses for photos at a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 19, 2023, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors.

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Ono wins Akutagawa literary award, Nishi wins Naoki Prize

TOKYO, Japan - Kanako Nishi (L) and Masatsugu Ono smile while posing for photos at a hotel in Tokyo on Jan. 15, 2015, after winning the Naoki Prize for popular fiction and the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, respectively. Nishi was awarded the prize for her work "Saraba!" (Farewell!) while Ono won the prize for his work "9 Nen Mae no Inori" (A Prayer Nine Years Ago).

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Ono wins Akutagawa literary award, Nishi wins Naoki Prize

TOKYO, Japan - Kanako Nishi (L) and Masatsugu Ono pose for photos at a hotel in Tokyo on Jan. 15, 2015, after winning the Naoki Prize for popular fiction and the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, respectively. Nishi was awarded the prize for her work "Saraba!" (Farewell!) while Ono won the prize for his work "9 Nen Mae no Inori" (A Prayer Nine Years Ago).

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Shibasaki wins Akutagawa award, Kurokawa wins Naoki Prize

TOKYO, Japan - Photo taken on July 17, 2014, at a Tokyo hotel shows novelists Tomoka Shibasaki (R) and Hiroyuki Kurokawa. Shibasaki won the Akutagawa literary award for up-and-coming authors of pure literature for her novel "Haru No Niwa" (Spring garden), while Kurokawa was awarded with the Naoki Prize, another renowned award for popular fiction, for his book "Hamon" (Excommunication).

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Shibasaki wins Akutagawa award

TOKYO, Japan - Photo taken on July 17, 2014, at a Tokyo hotel shows novelist Tomoka Shibasaki, who won the Akutagawa literary award for up-and-coming authors of pure literature for her novel "Haru No Niwa" (Spring garden).

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Akutagawa award winner Oyamada

HIROSHIMA, Japan - Photo taken in Hiroshima, western Japan, on Jan. 7, 2014, shows Hiroko Oyamada. The 30-year-old Oyamada won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming writers for her novel "Ana" (Hole), it was announced Jan. 16.

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Literary award winners

TOKYO, Japan - Kaori Fujino, winner of the 149th Akutagawa award for up-and-coming authors, attends a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2013, after the selection committee for the prestigious Japanese literary award announced earlier in the day that she had won. Fujino, 33, won the award for her work "Tsume to Me" (Nails and Eyes) that depicts the behavior and sentiment of a man's lover as seen by the man's 3-year-old daughter.

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Literary award winners

TOKYO, Japan - Kaori Fujino (R), winner of the 149th Akutagawa award, and Shino Sakuragi, winner of the 149th Naoki prize, attend a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2013, after the selection committees for the two prestigious Japanese literary awards announced earlier in the day that they had won.

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Literary award winners

TOKYO, Japan - Kaori Fujino (R), winner of the 149th Akutagawa award, and Shino Sakuragi, winner of the 149th Naoki prize, attend a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2013, after the selection committees for the two prestigious Japanese literary awards announced earlier in the day that they had won.

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Akutagawa, Naoki literary prize winners

TOKYO, Japan - (From L) Ryutaro Abe, Ryo Asai and Natsuko Kuroda join hands in Tokyo on Jan. 16, 2013, after Kuroda was awarded the Akutagawa award for up-and-coming authors of serious fiction and Abe and Asai were awarded the Naoki award for popular literature.

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Akutagawa, Naoki literary prize winners

TOKYO, Japan - (From L) Ryutaro Abe, Ryo Asai and Natsuko Kuroda hold their works in Tokyo on Jan. 16, 2013, after Kuroda was awarded the Akutagawa award for up-and-coming authors of serious fiction and Abe and Asai received the Naoki award for popular literature.

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Kuroda becomes oldest Akutagawa literary award winner

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken in Tokyo in December 2012 shows Natsuko Kuroda. Kuroda became the oldest Akutagawa award at age 75 on Jan. 16, 2013, in the almost 80-year history of the prestigious Japanese literary prize.

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Prize-winning writer Saiichi Maruya dies

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken in June 2008 shows Saiichi Maruya, a Japanese prize-winning writer, translator and critic, being interviewed at home in Tokyo's Meguro Ward. Maruya died Oct. 13, 2012, of heart failure at a Tokyo hospital. He was 87. He won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for "Toshi no Nokori" (The Rest of the Year) in 1968.

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Literary awards

TOKYO, Japan - Novelists Maki Kashimada (R) and Mizuki Tsujimura attend a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2012, after being awarded the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors of serious fiction and the Naoki Prize for popular literature, respectively.

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Literary awards

TOKYO, Japan - Novelists Maki Kashimada (R) and Mizuki Tsujimura attend a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2012, after being awarded the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors of serious fiction and the Naoki Prize for popular literature, respectively.

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Literary awards

TOKYO, Japan - Novelists Maki Kashimada (R) and Mizuki Tsujimura attend a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2012, after being awarded the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors of serious fiction and the Naoki Prize for popular literature, respectively.

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Shintaro Ishihara in 1956

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken in January 1956 shows Shintaro Ishihara, currently the governor of Tokyo, soon after he won the Akutagawa literary award for his novel ''Taiyo no Kisetsu'' (Season of the Sun). At the time, the 23-year-old Ishihara was a student at Tokyo's Hitotsubashi University.

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Literary awards

TOKYO, Japan - Writers (from R) To Enjo, Shinya Tanaka and Rin Hamuro pose for photos in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2012, as Enjo and Tanaka shared the Akutagawa literary award and Hamuro won the Naoki Prize for seasoned writers.

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Akutagawa Prize novelists Kawakami, Abe

TOKYO, Japan - Combined file photos show novelists Mieko Kawakami (L) and Kazushige Abe, who are both winners of the prestigious Akutagawa literary prize. It was learned Nov. 30, 2011, that Kawakami and Abe have tied the knot.

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Asabuki, Nishimura win Akutagawa Prize

TOKYO, Japan - Mariko Asabuki, a 26-year-old graduate school student at Keio University, speaks of her winning of Japan's Akutagawa Prize for promising writers of serious fiction during a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2011. She shared the prize with Kenta Nishimura.

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Akutagawa, Naoki prize winners

TOKYO, Japan - The winners of Japan's Akutagawa and Naoki literature prizes line up for a group photograph in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2011. They are (from left to right) Shusuke Michio and Nobori Kiuchi, who shared the Naoki Prize for seasoned writers, and Kenta Nishimura and Mariko Asabuki, who shared the Akutagawa Prize for promising writers of serious fiction.

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Asabuki, Nishimura win Akutagawa Prize

TOKYO, Japan - Kenta Nishimura speaks of his winning of Japan's Akutagawa Prize for promising writers of serious fiction during a press conference in Tokyo on Jan. 17, 2011. He shared the prize with Mariko Asabuki.