Japanese Literary Awards

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Tatsuya Iwase

いわせ たつや

Iwase Tatsuya

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1955-11-26 （Wakayama Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Journalist, Non-fiction writer
Active Years
1979-
Affiliations
Member, pension oversight committee (appointed under Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications supervision), Member, Pension Operations and Organizational Regeneration Council (Cabinet Secretariat, appointed), Founding committee member, Japan Pension Service (appointed)

Education

Toyo University
Faculty of Letters / Department of Philosophy
Year of Graduation: 1979
Country: Japan

Awards

Kodansha Non-Fiction Prize
2004
Work: The Great Collapse of the Pension System
Organization: Kodansha
Result: winner
Bungeishunju Reader's Prize
2004
Work: Vermilion Hall: Dismantle the Social Insurance Agency (published in Bungeishunju)
Organization: Bungeishunju
Result: winner
Japan Essayist Club Prize
2020
Work: Judges Are Human Too: Between Conscience and Organization
Organization: Japan Essayist Club
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Great Collapse of the Pension System

2003 Non-fiction

An investigative non-fiction work exposing problems and administrative failures in Japan's pension system.

pension issuescritique of administrationsocial security

The Tragedy of Pensions: Why the Security of Old Age Disappeared

2004 Non-fiction

Analytical reporting detailing structural problems in the pension system and their impacts.

administrationeconomicsinstitutional reform

Judges Are Human Too: Between Conscience and Organization

2020 Non-fiction / Essay

An essayistic reportage reflecting on the judiciary, conscience, and organizational constraints.

judiciaryconscienceorganizational theory

Why Newspapers Are Not Interesting

1998 Criticism / Non-fiction

A collection of criticism pointing out the nature and editorial problems within newspaper companies.

media criticismpress club systemjournalistic ethics

Kings of Kin: Konosuke Matsushita and the Century of National

2011 Reportage / Corporate history

Non-fiction on Konosuke Matsushita and the corporate and personnel history surrounding Panasonic.

corporate historypersonnel affairsmanagement

Fox-Eyed: The Full Truth of the Glico-Morinaga Case

2021 Non-fiction / Investigative reportage

Investigative reportage examining the Glico-Morinaga case, its chronology and involved persons.

unsolved casesinvestigative journalismsociety

Bibliography

  • Why Newspapers Are Not Interesting
  • I Deserve Death: Document on Noboru Takeshita
  • TALKING LOFT 3rd Vol.1
  • The Great Collapse of the Pension System
  • The Tragedy of Pensions: Why the Security of Old Age Disappeared
  • The Great Collapse of the Pension System: Complete Edition
  • How Much Does HR Actually Know?
  • Kings of Kin: Konosuke Matsushita and the Century of National
  • Document: The Personnel Struggle at Panasonic
  • Judges Are Human Too: Between Conscience and Organization
  • Fox-Eyed: The Full Truth of the Glico-Morinaga Case

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Investigative-reporting style emphasizing factsExpository and critical non-fiction
Recurring Motifs
structural problems of pensions and social securityconflict between organization and individualmedia criticism

Legacy

Recognized as a journalist who exposed and explained issues in Japan's pension system and media practices. His work influenced oversight and reform discussions on pensions, though some reporting provoked lawsuits and controversy.

Trivia

  • Won the Kodansha Non-Fiction Prize in 2004 for 'The Great Collapse of the Pension System'.
  • Also received Bungeishunju Reader's Prize for an article published in Bungeishunju.
  • Lost a defamation lawsuit related to an article on the Glico-Morinaga case brought by writer Hiroyuki Kurokawa.
  • Won the Japan Essayist Club Prize in 2020 for 'Judges Are Human Too'.