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Literary award winner in Japan

Novelist Chito Kosagawa (R) poses for a photo at a press conference in Tokyo on July 15, 2026, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors, together with Kasumi Asakura, winner of the Naoki Prize for popular fiction.

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Literary award winner in Japan

Novelist Chito Kosagawa (R) poses for a photo at a press conference in Tokyo on July 15, 2026, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors, together with Kasumi Asakura, winner of the Naoki Prize for popular fiction.

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Literary award winner in Japan

Novelist Chito Kosagawa (R) poses for a photo at a press conference in Tokyo on July 15, 2026, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors, together with Kasumi Asakura, winner of the Naoki Prize for popular fiction.

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Literary award winner in Japan

Novelist Chito Kosagawa speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on July 15, 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 Chito Kosagawa speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on July 15, 2026, after winning the Akutagawa Prize, a Japanese literary award for up-and-coming authors.

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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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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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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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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 (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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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.

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Asabuki, Nishimura win Akutagawa Prize

TOKYO, Japan - Photo, taken in January 2011, shows Mariko Asabuki, who shared Japan's Akutagawa Prize for promising writers of serious fiction with Kenta Nishimura. Their winning of the award was announced by the selection committee on Jan. 17, 2011.

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Akazome wins Akutagawa award

TOKYO, Japan - Author Akiko Akazome holds the June edition of literary magazine Shincho which published her fiction in Tokyo on July 15, 2010. Akazome was awarded the 143rd Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors for her work ''Otome no Mikkoku'' (The Anonymous Tip of a Virgin).

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Akazome wins Akutagawa award, Naoki Prize goes to Nakajima

TOKYO, Japan - Authors Akiko Akazome (L) and Kyoko Nakajima pose for photo in Tokyo on July 15, 2010. Akazome was awarded the 143rd Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors for her work ''Otome no Mikkoku'' (The Anonymous Tip of a Virgin), while Nakajima was awarded the 143rd Naoki Prize for seasoned writers of popular fiction for her work ''Chiisai Ouchi'' (Small Home).

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Akazome wins Akutagawa award

TOKYO, Japan - Author Akiko Akazome speaks to reporters in Tokyo on July 15, 2010, after being awarded the 143rd Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors for her work ''Otome no Mikkoku'' (The Anonymous Tip of a Virgin).

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Isozaki wins Akutagawa award, Naoki prize goes to Kitamura

TOKYO, Japan - Kenichiro Isozaki (L), winner of the 141st Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, and Kaoru Kitamura, winner of the 141st Naoki Prize for seasoned writers of entertainment fiction, shake hands for photos in Tokyo on July 15. Isozuka won the Akutagawa Prize for his work ''Tsui-no Sumika'' (The Last Home) while Kitamura won the Naoki Prize for his work ''Sagi to Yuki'' (Heron and Snow).

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Tsumura wins Akutagawa award, Tendo, Yamamoto take Naoki prize

TOKYO, Japan - Kikuko Tsumura (R), 30, won the 140th Akutagawa Prize for promising new writers of serious fiction on Jan. 15 for her work ''Potos Raimu no Fune'' (The Boat of Lime Pothos). The 140th Naoki Prize, another prestigious literary award for seasoned writers of popular fiction, went to Arata Tendo (C), 48, for ''Itamu Hito'' (Mourners) and Kenichi Yamamoto (L), 52, for ''Rikyu ni Tazuneyo'' (Ask Rikyu).

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Yang Yi receives Akutagawa Prize

TOKYO, Japan - Yang Yi, a Chinese writer based in Japan who won this year's Akutagawa Prize, receives a bouquet of flowers during the award ceremony for the prize in Tokyo on Aug. 22. Yang's award-winning work ''Tokiga nijimu asa'' (a morning when time blurs) is set during and after China's democratization movement centering on the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

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Chinese novelist Yang Yi wins Akutagawa literary prize

TOKYO, Japan - Chinese novelist Yang Yi expresses her delight after winning Japan's Akutagawa Prize on July 15. Yang, 44, is the first Chinese to win the prestigious literary award. Yang's award-winning novel, ''Tokiga Nijimu Asa'' (A Morning When Time Blurs), written in Japanese, depicts the elation and frustration of the pro-democracy movement in the 1989 Tiananmen Incident. A native of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, Yang came to Japan in 1987 and learned Japanese while working as a Chinese-language instructor.

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Chinese novelist Yang Yi wins Akutagawa literary prize

TOKYO, Japan - Chinese novelist Yang Yi expresses her delight after winning Japan's Akutagawa Prize on July 15. Yang, 44, is the first Chinese to win the prestigious literary award. Yang's award-winning novel, ''Tokiga Nijimu Asa'' (A Morning When Time Blurs), written in Japanese, depicts the elation and frustration of the pro-democracy movement in the 1989 Tiananmen Incident. A native of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, Yang came to Japan in 1987 and learned Japanese while working as a Chinese-language instructor.

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Yang Yi wins Akutagawa prize, Naoki prize goes to Areno Inoue

TOKYO, Japan - Akutagawa Prize-winner Yang Yi (L) and Naoki Prize-winner Areno Inoue pose at a news conference in Tokyo on July 15 after they were declared recipients of Japan's two major literary awards. Yang, writing in Japanese, is the first Chinese author to win the Akutagawa prize.

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Mieko Kawakami wins Akutagawa literary prize

TOKYO, Japan - Mieko Kawakami, winner of the 138th Akutagawa Prize, speaks to reporters at Tokyo Kaikan in Tokyo on Jan. 16 after she was declared recipient of the prestigious literary award for new fiction writers for her work ''Chichi to Ran'' (Breasts and Egg).