Kodansha Nonfiction Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 6 (1984) award
Yasuharu Honda
ほんだ やすはる
Honda Yasuharu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1933-03-21 （Keijō (now Seoul, Korea; during Japanese rule)）
- Died
- 2004-12-04 （Hospital in Tokyo, Japan） age 71
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Keijō (now Seoul) → Tokyo, Japan → New York, USA (stationed)
Career
- Occupations
- journalist, non-fiction writer
- Active Years
- 1955-2004
- Influenced
- later nonfiction writers, postwar reportage journalists and writers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseda University | School of Political Science and Economics | Department of Journalism | — | — | Japan |
| Tokyo Metropolitan Chitose High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
Waseda University
School of Political Science and Economics
/ Department of Journalism
Country:
Japan
Graduated from Waseda University, School of Political Science and Economics, Department of Journalism (exact year not specified)
Tokyo Metropolitan Chitose High School
Country:
Japan
Classmate of film director Hideo Onchi in high school
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Kodansha Non-Fiction Prize (later renamed in his honor) | Unjust Arrest | — | Kodansha | winner |
Kodansha Non-Fiction Prize (later renamed in his honor)
Work:
Unjust Arrest
Organization:
Kodansha
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Kidnapping
1977 non-fiction (reportage)A reportage on the Yoshinobu (Yoshinobu?) kidnapping-murder case (Yoshinobu/Yoshiten case), meticulously following the incident and societal responses.
social issuescrimevictims' perspective
Adaptations
- [TV drama] The Postwar's Biggest Kidnapping: The Yoshinobu Case (TV dramatization) / 恩地日出夫
Private War
1978 non-fictionA reporting work covering incidents such as the Kim Ghee-ro case, combining on-the-ground reporting and analysis of violence and right-wing incidents.
violencecontemporary historysocial movements
Unjust Arrest
1983 non-fictionExamines the temporary arrest of reporter Kazuhiko Tatematsu and investigates unjust arrests and relations with authorities and the police. Winner of the Kodansha Non-Fiction Prize.
judicial issueswatching powermedia and authority
Collected Works of Yasuharu Honda (5 vols.)
2001 collected worksA five-volume collection compiling major reportage works and essays.
postwar historysocial reportage
Bibliography
- Modern Family Lineage Theory
- Kidnapping
- Private War
- Unjust Arrest
- Collected Works of Yasuharu Honda (5 vols.)
Adaptations
- Kidnapping (TV dramatization)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- meticulous reportage-based investigative styleconcise, direct prose emphasizing on-the-ground reporting
- Recurring Motifs
- postwar societal shadowsrelationship between victims and societycritique of police and judiciary
Health
-
diabetes (both legs amputated)2000年以降Health deteriorated from 2000, including bilateral leg amputation, affecting his writing activities
-
colon cancer2000年代初頭underwent treatment and suffered ongoing health issues
Legacy
Highly regarded as a journalist and nonfiction writer who chronicled postwar Japanese society. The Kodansha Non-Fiction Prize was later renamed in his honor, reflecting his influence on subsequent writers.
Archives
- Fuji Reien (grave site)
In Popular Culture
- Works such as 'Kidnapping' were adapted for media and are cited as representative examples of postwar crime reporting
- Counted among the 'Showa mahjong masters' for his skill at mahjong
Quotes
-
I close my life as a sulker
Source: Monthly Gendai series ('I close my life as a sulker') (2000)
Trivia
- An accomplished mahjong player praised by Ashada Tetsuya
- Horse racing fan; contributed a column to JRA's magazine 'Yushun'
- Buried in the literary section of Fuji Reien cemetery