Joh Sasaki Explained

Joh Sasaki
Birth Date:	March 16, 1950
Birth Place:	Yubari, Hokkaido
Occupation:	Writer, novelist, journalist
Nationality:	Japanese
Period:	1979 –
Genre:	Historical fiction, crime fiction, adventure, mystery, suspense, young adult fiction
Notableworks:	Etorofu hatsu kinkyūden (1989) Keikan no chi(2007)
Awards:	Naoki Prize(2009)

is a Japanese writer and journalist; chiefly known for his historical fiction and mystery novels.^[1]

Biography

Joh Sasaki was born in Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan.^{[2] [3]} He spent his early youth in Nakashibetsu City and later ventured to Sapporo where Sasaki attended Tsukisamu High School. He released his first novel,, in 1979.^{[4] [5]} Sasaki quickly established himself as a writer after winning the All Yomimono New Writers Prize for Tekkihei, tonda which was also later adapted for the big screen.^[6] Today Sasaki is known as a household author with numerous works in genres stretching from historical fiction, young adult fiction to police crime fiction, and even various TV Crime Drama adaptations.^{[7] [8]}

In 2009, Sasaki won Japan's number one literary award, the Naoki Prize, for his work Haikyo ni kou, and also holds many other literary awards.^{[9] [10] [11] [12]} These days Sasaki is actively developing his stories for the stage in addition to directing a Children's e-picture book project called Joh's Picture Book Project.^[13]

Literary style

Joh Sasaki is well known in Japan as a social entertainment writer. In his novel Mayonaka no tooi kanata (later re-titled to Shinjuku no arifureta yoru), he depicts the underground lifestyles of the Japanese mafia, boat people, and illegal alien workers. In Yoru ni sono na o yobeba, Sasaki portrays a chilling Cold War scene in a mystery set in Otaru, Hokkaido and Berlin, Germany. His police mystery thriller, Utau keikan (later re-titled to Warau keikan) was adapted for the big screen and provides an early setting for his later internationally acclaimed roman-fleuve novel Keikan no chi which was eventually adapted for television. Sasaki's Berlin hikō shimei (English title: Zero Over Berlin) garnered critical acclaim for telling a World War II story from the other side about a fly-by-night mission involving a Type Zero Fighter (Mitsubishi A6M Zero) secretly making its way from Japan all the way to Berlin at the request of the Luftwaffe.^{[14] [15] [16] [17]} Zero Over Berlin is presently Sasaki's only novel translated into English.^[18]

Works in English translation

• Zero Over Berlin (original title: Berlin Hikō Shirei): Vertical., 2004 (Translated by Hiroko Yoda with Matt Alt).

Awards

• 1979 Tekkihei, tonda: debut novel winning the All Yomimono New Writers Prize.
• 1989 Etorofu hatsu kinkyūden: novel winning the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize and Japan Adventure Fiction Association Prize.
• 1994 Stockholm no misshi: novel winning the Japan Adventure Fiction Association Prize.
• 2002 Buyōden: novel winning the Nitta Jirō Prize for Literature.
• 2008 Keikan no chi (The Policeman's Lineage^[19]): novel winning the first place in the "Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2008" and the Japan Adventure Fiction Association Prize.
• 2009 Haikyo ni kou (Prayer in the Ruins^[20]): novel winning the nationally acclaimed literary award Naoki Prize.

Bibliography

Adventure novels

World War II

• World War II Trilogy Series
  • Berlin Hikō Shirei (Shincho Bunko, 1988., Shincho Bunko, 1993)
    • Manga adaptation by Mochitzuki Mikiya
  • Etorofu Hatsu Kinkyūden (Shincho Bunko, 1989., Shincho Bunko, 1994., Futabasa, 2004)
    • TV drama adaptation: Etorofu Harukanari
  • Stockholm no Misshi (Shincho Bunko, 1994., Shincho Bunko, 1997)
• Washington Fūin Kōsaku (Shincho Bunko, 1997., Shincho Bunko, 2000., Bunshu bunko, 2010)

Historical fiction novels

• Ezochi (Hokkaido) Trilogy Series
  • Goryōkaku Zantōden (Shūeisha Bunko, 1991., Shūeisha Bunko, 1994)
  • Yuki yo Kōya yo (Shūeisha Bunko, 1994., Shūeisha Bunko, 1997)
  • Hokushingun Tōroku (Shūeisha Bunko, 1996., Shūeisha Bunko, 1999)
• Bakumatsu Trilogy Series
  • Buyōden (Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc., 2001., Nakakou Bunko, 2003)
  • Kuro Fune (Kadokawa Shoten, 2003., Kadokawa Shoten, 2008)
  • Eiryūden (Nikkei Masuta-zu Rensai Mikanko)
• Shunme (Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc., 2005., Nakakou Bunko, 2008)

Current works

Police crime fiction

• Dōkei Series
  • Warau Keikan (Kadokawashunki Jimusho, 2004)
    • Revised: Warau Keikan (Haruki Bunko, 2007)
    • TV drama adaptation: Warau Keikan (2009)
  • Keisatsuchō kara Kita Otoko Kadokawashunki Jimusho, 2006., Haruki bunko, 2008)
  • Keikan no Monshō (Kadokawashunki Jimusho., 2008., Haruki Bunko, 2010)
  • Junsa no Kyūjitsu (Kadokawashunki Jimusho., 2009., Haruki Bunko, 2011)
    • TV drama adaptation: Junsa no Kyūjitsu: (2011)
  • Mitsubainin (Kadokawashunki Jimusho., 2011)
• Chūzai Keikan Series
  • Seifuku Sōsa (Shinchō Bunko, 2006., Shinchō Bunko 2009)
  • Bōsetsuken (Shinchō Bunko, 2009)
• Keikan no Chi (Shinchō Bunko, 2007., Shinchō Bunko, 2010)
  • TV drama adaptation: Keikan no Chi (2009)
• Haikyo ni Kou (Bungeishunju Ltd., 2009)

Suspense novels

• Mayonaka no Tooi Kanata (Daiwa shobō, 1984., Shūeisha Bunko, 1987., Tenzan bunko., 1992).
  • Revised: Shinjuku no Arifureta Yoru (Sukora Noberuzu, 1996., Kadokawa bunko, 1997）
  • Movie title: Ware ni Utsu Yōi Ari Ready to Shoot (Fusosha Publishing, 1990)

Young adult fiction and other novels

• Tekkihei, Tonda (Bungeishunju Ltd., 1980,. Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., 1986,. Bunshun Bunko, 2010)
  • Movie title: Tekkihei, Tonda (starring Junichi Ishida)
• Itsuka Kaze ga Miteita (CBS Sony, 1985)
  • Revised: Taimu Atakku (Shūeisha Bunko, 1988)
• Manhattan no Bitoku (Shūeisha Bunko, 1989)
• Sankusugibingu Mama (Switch Publishing Co., Ltd., 1992,. Shinchosha, 1995., Fusosha Bunko, 2008)
• Kyō mo Hodō ni Surechigau (Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc., 1994,. Nakakou bunko, 2000)

Horror novels

• Shi no Iro no Fūin (Tokumanoberuzsu, 1984., Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., 1989)
• Shiroi Sakurikusha (Tokumanoberusu, 1986., Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., 1991)
• Kiba no Aru Jikan (Magajinhausu, 1998., Haruki Bunko, 2000)

Other novels

• Yunitto (Bungeishunju Ltd., 2003., Bunshu Bunko, 2005)
  • TV drama adaptation: Yunitto (2006)
• Countdown (Mainichi Shinbunsha, 2010)
• Chisō Shinsa (Bungeishunju, 2012)

Non-fiction

• Bōkensha kasutoro (Shūeisha Bunko, 2002., Shūeisha Bunko, 2005)
• Bakushintachi to Gijutsu Rikkoku (Shūeisha Shinsho, 2006)
• Wa ga Yūbari waga Etorofu (Hokkaido Shinbunsha, 2008)

External links

• • Official blog
• J'Lit | Authors : Joh Sasaki | Books from Japan

Notes and References

1. Web site: Joh Sasaki 佐々木譲. J'lit Books from Japan. January 7, 2012.
2. Web site: 夕張 ふたたび. November 2007. Yomiuri Shimbun. January 7, 2012.
3. Web site: Hideaki Nakamura. 嗜好と文化：Vol. 7 佐々木譲「うそをつくのは楽しいし、書くうえでのモチベーションになっている」. November 2011. Mainichi Shimbun. January 7, 2012.
4. [Bungeishunjū]
5. [Tokuma Shoten]
6. Web site: 特集Interview. March 2008. Bookservice.jp. January 7, 2012.
7. Web site: Joh Sasaki. エトロフ遥かなり. August 1993. BSオリジナルドラマ. January 7, 2012.
8. Web site: Joh Sasaki. Joh Sasaki's TV Drama series. NHK, BS Japan, EX, HBC. January 7, 2012.
9. Web site: Kyodo News. Writers Shiraishi, Sasaki win 142nd Naoki Prize. January 2010. The Japan Times Online. January 7, 2012.
10. Web site: ANNOUNCEMENT: 142nd Naoki Prize Winners Selected. February 2010. Japanese Writer's House. January 7, 2012.
11. Web site: 『廃墟に乞う』で直木賞 佐々木譲 冒険を恐れず 転機を拒まず. January 2010. Asahi Shimbun. January 7, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20140108094024/http://book.asahi.com/clip/TKY201001290239.html. January 8, 2014. dead.
12. Web site: 2 novelists share Naoki Prize for literature. January 2010. Iran Book News Agency. January 7, 2012.
13. Web site: Joh's Picture Book Project. December 2012. January 7, 2012.
14. [Shinchosha]
15. [Shinchosha]
16. Web site: Joh Sasaki. Hiroko Yoda with Matt Alt. Zero Over Berlin. June 2004. Publishers Weekly. January 7, 2012.
17. Web site: ZERO OVER BERLIN READING GUIDE. June 2004. Vertical, Inc.. January 7, 2012.
18. Web site: Jonah Morgan. ANS Exclusive Interview: Author Joh Sasaki – Zero Over Berlin. 2004. ANS. January 7, 2012.
19. http://www.booksfromjapan.jp/publications/item/609-the-policemans-lineage J'Lit | Publications : The Policeman's Lineage | Books from Japan
20. http://www.booksfromjapan.jp/publications/item/317-prayer-in-the-ruins J'Lit | Publications : Prayer in the Ruins | Books from Japan