Shogakukan Nonfiction Grand Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 8 (2001) excellence award
Masaru Soma
そうま まさる
Soma Masaru
Pen Names:
Kayasawa Izuru（Alternate pen name. The biographical details presented under this name (e.g. born 1957 in Tokyo) are a fictional persona.）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1956-04-01 （Aomori Prefecture, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese, Chinese
- Residence History
- Aomori Prefecture, Japan → Tokyo, Japan → Beijing, China (study abroad) → Hong Kong (reporting) → Taiwan (reporting) → United States (study)
Career
- Occupations
- journalist, non-fiction writer, translator
- Active Years
- 1980-
- Affiliations
- Jiji Press, Sankei Shimbun (Sankei Shimbun company), Freelance journalist
- Influenced By
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo University of Foreign Studies | Faculty of Foreign Studies | Chinese Language Department | — | — | Japan |
| Beijing Language and Culture University (study abroad) | — | — | — | — | China |
| Georgetown University (study) | — | — | — | — | United States |
| Harvard University (study) | — | — | — | — | United States |
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Faculty of Foreign Studies
/ Chinese Language Department
Country:
Japan
Graduated from the department; exact year not specified.
Beijing Language and Culture University (study abroad)
Country:
China
Studied abroad; degree information not specified.
Georgetown University (study)
Country:
United States
Studied/attended programs while working as a journalist.
Harvard University (study)
Country:
United States
Participated in study/research programs while working as a journalist.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Shogakukan Nonfiction Award (Excellence Prize) | People Erased by the Chinese Communist Party | — | Shogakukan | 優秀賞 (Excellence Prize) |
Shogakukan Nonfiction Award (Excellence Prize)
2001
Work:
People Erased by the Chinese Communist Party
Organization:
Shogakukan
Result:
優秀賞 (Excellence Prize)
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
People Erased by the Chinese Communist Party
2002 Non-fictionAn investigative report documenting cases of suppression, disappearances, and human-rights abuses attributed to the Chinese Communist Party.
Chinese politicshuman rightssuppression of speechinvestigative reporting
Three Million Chinese Soldiers: The Next War
1996 Non-fictionA study and reporting on the size of the People's Liberation Army and its potential strategic posture.
militaryChinasecurity
This Is How Japan Is Taught at Harvard
2000 Non-fictionAn account and analysis of how Japan is presented and taught in educational settings abroad such as Harvard.
international educationJapan–US relationsacademic analysis
Xi Jinping's 'Anti-Japan' Strategy: Dangerous Ambitions Recorded in 'Secret' Chinese Documents
2015 Non-fictionAn analysis of Xi Jinping's administration and its posture toward Japan, based on documents and reporting.
Chinese politicsdiplomacyJapan–China relations
Bibliography
- Three Million Chinese Soldiers: The Next War
- This Is How Japan Is Taught at Harvard
- People Erased by the Chinese Communist Party
- Darkness: The Bottomless Night of Opened China — The Deep Truth of the Largest Smuggling and Corruption Scandal in History
- Final Annihilation Plan for North Korea: Shocking Scenarios Told by Top-Secret Pentagon Documents
- The Dalai Lama Speaks
- Metropolitan Police Department Organized Crime Unit
- The Man Orchestrating War Against Japan: Xi Jinping's Ambitions
- Kawashima Yoshiko: The Unknown Wandering Love
- Xi Jinping's 'Anti-Japan' Strategy: Dangerous Ambitions Recorded in 'Secret' Chinese Documents
- As Kayasawa Izuru: The Tragic Three Kings — Stalin, Mao Zedong, Kim Il-sung
- As Kayasawa Izuru: The Day China's 'Secret Societies' Overthrow the Communist Regime
- As Kayasawa Izuru: The True Face of Xi Jinping
Translations by Author
- The New Emperor Hu Jintao: The Face and Ambition of China's Fourth-Generation Leaders (translator)
- I Was a Hired Spy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (translator)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- reportage-centered investigative journalismevidence- and document-based writingdirect-interview focused style
- Recurring Motifs
- Chinese political power structuresinternational relations and securitystate erasure and concealment
Legacy
Masaru Soma is known as a journalist and non-fiction writer focusing on Chinese affairs, reporting energetically on Chinese politics and security issues for Japanese audiences. He has also published under the pen name Kayasawa Izuru, leaving a broad body of work on China-related topics.
Trivia
- Uses the pen name 'Kayasawa Izuru' (some biographical details under that name are fictional).
- Worked at Jiji Press and Sankei Shimbun before becoming a freelance journalist.
- Received the Shogakukan Nonfiction Award (8th edition) Excellence Prize.