Japanese Literary Awards

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Shuichi Yoshida

よしだ しゅういち

Yoshida Shuichi

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1968-09-14 （Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist
Active Years
1997-
Nominations
1996 - Bungeikai Newcomer Award nominee (Water), 1997 - 117th Akutagawa Prize nominee (The Last Son), 1998 - 118th Akutagawa Prize nominee (Fragments), 2000 - 122nd Akutagawa Prize nominee (Gust), 2001 - 124th Akutagawa Prize nominee (Tropical Fish), 2001 - 23rd Noma Literary Newcomer Award nominee (Tropical Fish), 2008 - Hon'ya Taisho (Booksellers' Award) nominee (Villain), 2010 - Hon'ya Taisho nominee (Yokomichi Yonosuke), 2015 - Hon'ya Taisho nominee (Anger)

Education

Hosei University, Faculty of Business Administration
Faculty of Business Administration / Department of Business Administration
Degree: 学士（経営学）
Country: Japan
Graduation year not specified in sources. After university he worked part-time as a swimming school instructor and other jobs.

Awards

Bungeikai Newcomer Award
1997
Work: The Last Son
Organization: Bungeikai (magazine)
Result: 受賞
Yamamoto Shugoro Prize
2002
Work: Parade
Organization: Yamamoto Shugoro Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Akutagawa Prize
2002
Work: Park Life
Organization: Akutagawa Prize Selection Committee
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Publishing Culture Award
2007
Work: Villain
Organization: Mainichi Newspapers
Result: 受賞
Osaragi Jiro Prize
2007
Work: Villain
Organization: Osaragi Jiro Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Shibata Renzaburo Prize
2010
Work: Yokomichi Yonosuke
Organization: Shibata Renzaburo Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Art Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
2019
Work: National Treasure
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result: 受賞
Chuokoron Literary Prize
2019
Work: National Treasure
Organization: Chuokoron-Shinsha
Result: 受賞
Shima Kiyoshi Love Literature Award
2022
Work: Miss Sunshine
Organization: Shima Kiyoshi Love Literature Award Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Last Son

1999 Short story collection

A short story collection including the title story 'The Last Son', which won the 1997 Bungeikai Newcomer Award and marked Yoshida's literary debut.

familylossyouth

Parade

2002 Novel

An ensemble novel depicting young urbanites, their shared living arrangements, interwoven relationships, and the subtleties of loneliness.

urban lifeshared livinglonelinesshuman relationships
Adaptations
  • [Film] Parade / 行定勲 (2010)

Villain

2007 Novel

A human drama centered on a murder case that explores the loneliness and moral complexity of the victim, perpetrator, and those around them; highlights the gap between society's gaze and individual emotions.

crimemoralitylove and lonelinesshuman relationships
Adaptations
  • [Film] Villain / 李相日 (2010)
Translations
  • Villain (English translation)

Yokomichi Yonosuke

2009 Novel

Set in the late 1960s, this novel warmly portrays the youth of Yokomichi Yonosuke and his interactions with others; themes include nostalgia and coming of age.

coming-of-agegrowthnostalgiarelationships
Adaptations
  • [Film] Yokomichi Yonosuke / 沖田修一 (2013)

Anger

2014 Novel

A multi-perspective novel where a murder sparks suspicion and distrust; inconsistencies in accounts cause the truth to become uncertain.

suspicionbreakdown of trustambiguity of truth
Adaptations
  • [Film] Anger / 李相日 (2016)

National Treasure

2018 Novel

A long novel depicting the life of a man devoted to traditional performing arts, exploring devotion to craft, obsession, and relationships with family and society.

traditional performing artslife storyobsessionculture vs individual
Adaptations
  • [Film] National Treasure / 李相日 (2025)

Lu (Road)

2012 Novel

A novel set in Taiwan that reflects the author's fondness for the island; weaves local scenery and human relationships into the narrative.

Taiwantravelcross-cultural exchangehuman drama
Adaptations
  • [TV Drama] Road: Taiwan Express (2020)

The Sun Does Not Move

2012 Action/spy novel

Part of the AN Communications agent Takano series; an action/spy entertainment novel.

spyactioninternational intrigue
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Sun Does Not Move / 羽住英一郎 (2021)

Bibliography

  • The Last Son
  • Tropical Fish
  • Parade
  • Park Life
  • Villain
  • Yokomichi Yonosuke
  • Anger
  • National Treasure
  • Lu (Road)
  • The Sun Does Not Move
  • Miss Sunshine
  • Women of the Lake

Adaptations

  • Parade (film adaptation)
  • Villain (film adaptation)
  • Yokomichi Yonosuke (film adaptation)
  • Anger (film adaptation)
  • The Sun Does Not Move (film/TV adaptations)
  • Lu / Road (TV adaptation)

Translations of Works

  • Villain (English translation)
  • Parade (English translation)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
contemporary social realismensemble narrativesconcise, restrained prose
Recurring Motifs
urban lifeyouthful lonelinesscrime and moralityfamily and relationships

Legacy

Shuichi Yoshida is one of contemporary Japan's prominent writers, recognized in both literary and popular categories. Many of his works have been adapted for film and television; he also enjoys notable popularity in Taiwan. His readership spans domestic and international audiences, and his works have been widely adapted across media.

Archives

  • National Diet Library (Japan)
  • Hosei University Library (holdings)

In Popular Culture

  • Broad recognition through numerous film and TV adaptations
  • Appeared with his cats on NHK E-Tele's documentary series 'Nekomentary' (2017)
  • High popularity in Taiwan due to works set there

Trivia

  • Born in Nagasaki City.
  • Debuted in 1997 after winning the Bungeikai Newcomer Award for 'The Last Son'.
  • In 2002 he received the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize for 'Parade' and the Akutagawa Prize for 'Park Life', attracting wide attention.
  • An avid cat lover: he lives with a Bengal named Kintaro ("Kin-chan") and a Scottish Fold named Gintaro ("Gin-chan").
  • Has written works set in Taiwan and enjoys significant popularity there.
  • Many of his works have been adapted into films, TV dramas, stage plays, and manga.