Japanese Literary Awards

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Kazuhiko Satake

さたけ かずひこ

Satake Kazuhiko

Pen Names: Yutaka Matsumoto（Birth name (not used as publishing name)）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
Died
2003-10-27 age 54
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Writer, Former police officer
Active Years
1990-2003

Education

Meiji University
Faculty of Law / Department of Law
Country: Japan

Awards

All Yomimono Mystery New Writer Prize (29th)
1990
Work: Give Grass to My Sheep
Organization: Bungeishunju (All Yomimono)
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Murder Case of the Cursed Sword 'Muramasa'

1993 Police novel / Mystery

A full-length mystery depicting police investigations and internal relationships within the force. Later reissued under a different title.

CrimePolice organizationJustice and ethics

Detective's Room

1995 Police novel

A collection of short and medium-length stories realistically portraying detectives' daily lives and investigative processes.

Investigative processOccupational conflictInterpersonal relationships

The Outsider

1996 Police novel / Mystery

A story about a person who arrives in a town following an incident. Later adapted for television.

Local communitySecretsJustice
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] Professor Himaru's Case Notes (TV adaptation) (2003)

Metropolitan Police Public Security Unit: Undercover Investigation

1997 Police novel

A work centered on undercover investigations by the public security unit, portraying the tension and risks inside the unit.

Undercover operationsNational securityEthics

Shokatsu: Real Police Story

2000 Police novel / Linked short stories

A linked short story collection notable for realistic depictions reminiscent of real investigations. Includes works adapted for TV.

RealismProfessional ethicsOrganizational function
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] Shokatsu (TV drama) (2000)

Suspicious Behavior

2001 Police novel

A mystery revolving around a person exhibiting suspicious behavior, centered on police pursuit.

SurveillanceMisunderstanding and prejudiceInvestigative methods

Resident Policeman: Police Mystery

2003 Police novel

A collection of police stories focused on a resident policeman. Later served as the basis for works such as 'Inokuma Couple's Resident Diary'.

Community policingEveryday investigationsHumanity
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] Inokuma Couple's Resident Diary (based partly on his works) (2004)

Bibliography

  • The Murder Case of the Cursed Sword 'Muramasa'
  • Detective's Room
  • The Outsider
  • Metropolitan Police Public Security Unit: Undercover Investigation
  • Shokatsu: Real Police Story
  • Suspicious Behavior
  • Resident Policeman: Police Mystery

Adaptations

  • Shokatsu (TV drama, 2000)
  • Professor Himaru's Case Notes (TV adaptations based on The Outsider, 2003)
  • Inokuma Couple's Resident Diary (2004-2007, partly based on his works)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Realistic depiction of internal police organizationConcise and direct narration
Recurring Motifs
Organizational rigidityEthical dilemmas in dutyLocal security and human sympathy

Health

  • Acute myocardial infarction
    2003
    Died suddenly; passed away at 54, resulting in a premature end to his literary output

Legacy

Known for police novels that drew on his experience as a former police officer; his realistic depiction of investigations was highly regarded. Although his overall output was limited, several works were adapted for television, increasing his recognition.

Trivia

  • Birth name: Yutaka Matsumoto.
  • After graduating from Meiji University's Faculty of Law, he served in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police as a constable and rose to assistant inspector before debuting as a writer.
  • Debuted after winning the All Yomimono Mystery New Writer Prize in 1990.
  • Notable works such as 'Shokatsu' and 'Resident Policeman' were adapted into TV dramas.
  • Died of acute myocardial infarction in 2003 at age 54.