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Naoki Prize
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| Naoki Prize | |
|---|---|
| 直木三十五賞 (Naoki Sanjūgo Shō) | |
| Awarded for | Best work of popular literature by rising author |
| Country | Japan |
| Presented by | Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature |
| First award | 1935 |
| Website | www |
The Naoki Prize, officially Naoki Sanjugo Prize (直木三十五賞, Naoki Sanjūgo Shō), is a Japanese literary award presented biannually. It was created in 1935 by Kikuchi Kan, then editor of the Bungeishunjū magazine, and named in memory of novelist Naoki Sanjugo.[1] Sponsored by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature, the award recognizes "the best work of popular literature in any format by a new, rising, or (reasonably young) established author."[2] The winner receives a watch and one million yen.[3]
Kikuchi founded the Naoki Prize with the Akutagawa Prize, which targets a new or rising author of literary fiction. The two prizes are viewed as "two sides of the same coin" and inseparable from one another. Because of the prestige associated with the Naoki Prize and the considerable attention the winner receives from the media, it, along with the Akutagawa Prize, is one of Japan's most sought after literary awards of recognition.[3][4]
Winners
[edit]Bungeishunjū maintains the official archive of past Naoki Prize winners.[5]
1st–100th
[edit]| 1935 | 1 | Matsutarō Kawaguchi | Tsuruhachi Tsurujirō (鶴八鶴次郎), Fūryū Fukagawa Uta (風流深川唄; lit. Song of the Refined Fuka River), Meiji Ichidai Onna (明治一代女; lit. Meiji Era Woman) |
| 2 | Uko Washio | Yoshinochō Taiheiki (吉野朝太平記; lit. Chronicles of the Yoshino Era of Peace), etc. | |
| 1936 | 3 | Chōgorō Kaionji | Tenshō Onna Gassen (天正女合戦; lit. Tenshō Women's Battle), Budō Denraiki (武道傳來記, lit. Martial Arts Chronicles) |
| 4 | Takatarō Kigi | Jinsei no Ahō (人生の阿呆; lit. A Fool's Life) | |
| 1937 | 5 | No prize awarded | |
| 6 | Masuji Ibuse | John Manjirō Hyōryūki (ジョン萬次郎漂流記; lit. The Drifting Chronicles of John Manjirō), etc. | |
| 1938 | 7 | Sotoo Tachibana | Narin-denka e no Kaisō (ナリン殿下への回想; lit. Recollections of His Highness Narin) |
| 8 | Tadao Ooike | Kabuto (兜首; lit. Helmet), Akitaguchi no Kyōdai (秋田口の兄弟; lit. The Akitaguchi Siblings) | |
| 1939 | 9 | No prize awarded | |
| 10 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1940 | 11 | Chiyo Tsutsumi Sensuke Kawachi |
Koyubi (小指; lit. Pinky Finger), etc. Gunji Yuubin (軍事郵便; lit. Military Postal Service) |
| 12 | Genzō Murakami | Kazusa Fudoki (上総風土記), etc. | |
| 1941 | 13 | Sōjū Kimura | Unnan Shubihei (雲南守備兵; lit. Guards of the Southern Clouds) |
| 14 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1942 | 15 | No prize awarded | |
| 16 | Norio Taoka Takio Kanzaki |
Gōjō Ichigo (強情いちご; lit. Stubborn Ichigo), etc. Kanyō (寛容; lit. Generosity), etc. | |
| 1943 | 17 | No prize awarded | (Shūgorō Yamamoto's Nihon Fudōki (日本婦道記; lit. Chronicles of a Japanese Woman's Duties) was chosen, but he declined the prize.) |
| 18 | Sōichi Mori | Yamahata (山畠), Ga to Sasabune (蛾と笹舟; lit. The Moth and the Toy Boat) | |
| 1944 | 19 | Seizō Okada | Nyū Giniya Sangakusen (ニューギニヤ山岳戦; lit. New Guinea Mountain War) |
| 20 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1949 | 21 | Tsuneo Tomita | Omote (面; lit. Face), Irezumi (刺青; lit. Tattoo) |
| 22 | Katsurō Yamada | Umi no Haien (海の廃園; lit. Abandoned Garden of the Sea) | |
| 1950 | 23 | Hidemi Kon Itoko Koyama |
Tennō no Bōshi (天皇の帽子; lit. The Emperor's Hat) Shikkō Yūyo (執行猶予; lit. Stay of Execution) |
| 24 | Kazuo Dan | Chōgonka (長恨歌; lit. Chōgon Song) Shinsetsu Ishikawa Goemon (真説石川五右衛門; lit. True Theory Ishikawa Goemon) | |
| 1951 | 25 | Keita Genji | Eigoya-san (英語屋さん; lit. Mr. English Shop), Taifū-san (颱風さん; lit. Mr. Typhoon), Gokurōsan (御苦労さん; lit. I Appreciate Your Hard Work) |
| 26 | Juran Hisao Renzaburō Shibata |
Suzuki Mondo (鈴木主水) Iesu no Ei (イエスの裔; lit. Descendant of Jesus) | |
| 1952 | 27 | Shinji Fujiwara | Tsumina Onna (罪な女; lit. Sinful Woman), etc. |
| 28 | Nobuyuki Tateno | Hanran (叛乱; lit. Insurrection) | |
| 1953 | 29 | No prize awarded | |
| 30 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1954 | 31 | Yorichika Arima | Shūshin Miketsushū (終身未決囚; lit. Unconvicted Prisoner For Life) |
| 32 | Haruo Umezaki Yukio Togawa |
Boroya no Shunjū (ボロ家の春秋; lit. Spring and Autumn of the Scrap Merchant) Takayasu Inu Monogatari (高安犬物語; lit. Takayasu Dog Story) | |
| 1955 | 33 | No prize awarded | |
| 34 | Jirō Nitta Eikan Kyū |
Gōrikiden (強力伝; lit. The Life of A Mountain Carrier) Honkon (香港; lit. Hong Kong) | |
| 1956 | 35 | Norio Nanjō Kanichi Kon |
Tōdaiki (燈台鬼; lit. Lighthouse Demon) Kabe no Hana (壁の花; lit. Wallflower) |
| 36 | Tōkō Kon Miharu Hozumi |
Ogin-sama (お吟さま) Kachigarasu (勝烏; lit. Victory Crows) | |
| 1957 | 37 | Masanori Esaki | Ruson no Tanima (ルソンの谷間; lit. Valley of the Luzon) |
| 38 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1958 | 39 | Toyoko Yamasaki Eiji Shinba |
Hana Noren (花のれん; lit. Flower Shop Sign) Akai Yuki (赤い雪; lit. Red Snow) |
| 40 | Saburō Shiroyama Kyō Takigawa |
Sōkaiya Kinjō (総会屋錦城; lit. Extortionist Kinjō) Ochiru (落ちる; lit. Fall Down) | |
| 1959 | 41 | Kieko Watanabe Yumie Hiraiwa |
Mabechigawa (馬淵川) Taganeshi (鏨師; lit. Master Engraver) |
| 42 | Ryōtarō Shiba Yasuji Toita |
Fukurō no Shiro (梟の城; Owls' Castle) Danjūrō Seppuku Jiken (團十郎切腹事件; lit. The Danjūrō Seppuku Incident) | |
| 1960 | 43 | Shōtarō Ikenami | Sakuran (錯乱; lit. Confusion) |
| 44 | Daikichi Terauchi Jūgo Kuroiwa |
Hagure Nenbutsu (はぐれ念仏; lit. Stray Prayer) Haitoku no Mesu (背徳のメス; lit. Invitation to Corruption) | |
| 1961 | 45 | Tsutomu Minakami | The Temple of the Wild Geese (雁の寺, Gan no tera) |
| 46 | Keiichi Itō | Hotaru no Kawa (螢の河; lit. River of Fireflies) | |
| 1962 | 47 | Hisahide Sugimori | Tensai to Kyōjin no Aida (天才と狂人の間; lit. Between a Genius and a Madman) |
| 48 | Hitomi Yamaguchi Sonoko Sugimoto |
Eburiman-shi no Yūgana Seikatsu (江分利満氏の優雅な生活; lit. The Elegant Lives of the Everyman Family) Koshū no Kishi (孤愁の岸; lit. Lonely Contemplation on the Shore) | |
| 1963 | 49 | Tokuji Satō | Onna no Ikusa (女のいくさ; lit. The Women's War) |
| 50 | Tsuruo Andō Yoshie Wada |
Kōdan Honmokutei (巷談本牧亭; lit. Talking about Honmokutei) Chiri no Naka (塵の中; lit. In the Dust) | |
| 1964 | 51 | No prize awarded | |
| 52 | Michiko Nagai Atsuko Anzai |
Enkan (炎環; lit. Ring of Fire) Chanshaoshu no Hanashi (張少子の話; lit. The Story of Zhang Shaozi) | |
| 1965 | 53 | Shigeo Fujii | Niji (虹; lit. Rainbow) |
| 54 | Yūkichi Shinbashi Jihei Chiba |
Yaochō (八百長; lit. Rigged Game) Toriko Shū-ki (虜愁記; lit. Sad Tale of a Prisoner) | |
| 1966 | 55 | Masaaki Tachihara | Shiroi Keshi (白い罌粟; lit. White Poppy) |
| 56 | Hiroyuki Itsuki | Aozameta Uma wo Miyo (蒼ざめた馬を見よ; lit. See the Pale Horse) | |
| 1967 | 57 | Jirō Ikushima | Oitsumeru (追いつめる; lit. Cornered) |
| 58 | Akiyuki Nosaka[6] Tooru Miyoshi |
American Hijiki (アメリカひじき, Amerika Hijiki), Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓, Hotaru no Haka) Hijiri Shōjo (聖少女; lit. Holy Girl) | |
| 1968 | 59 | No prize awarded | |
| 60 | Shunshin Chin Mitsugu Saotome |
Seigyoku Shishi Kōro (青玉獅子香炉; lit. Sapphire Shishi Incense Burner) Kyōjin no Ori (僑人の檻) | |
| 1969 | 61 | Aiko Satō | Tatakai Sunde Hi ga Kurete (戦いすんで日が暮れて; lit. The Day of Battle's End Draws to a Close) |
| 62 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1970 | 63 | Junichi Watanabe[7] Yūki Shōji |
Hikari to Kage (光と影; lit. Light and Shadow) Gunki Hatameku Shita ni (軍旗はためく下に; lit. Beneath the Fluttering Battle Flag) |
| 64 | Jō Toyoda | Nagaragawa (長良川; lit. Nagara River) | |
| 1971 | 65 | No prize awarded | |
| 66 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1972 | 67 | Hisashi Inoue Kenjō Tsunabuchi |
Tegusari Shinjū (手鎖心中; lit. Shackled Double Suicide) Zan (斬; lit. Beheading) |
| 68 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1973 | 69 | Shuhei Fujisawa[8] Hideo Osabe |
Ansatsu no Nenrin (暗殺の年輪; lit. Annals of Assassination) Tsugaru Yosare Bushi (津軽世去れ節), Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi (津軽じょんから節) |
| 70 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1974 | 71 | Giichi Fujimoto | Oni no Uta (鬼の詩; lit. Song of Demons) |
| 72 | Ryō Hanmura Magoroku Ide |
Ame Yadori (雨やどり; lit. Shelter From the Rain) Atorasu Densetsu (アトラス伝説; lit. The Legend of Atlas) | |
| 1975 | 73 | No prize awarded | |
| 74 | Ryuzo Saki | Fukushū suru wa Ware ni ari (復讐するは我にあり; lit. Vengeance is Mine) | |
| 1976 | 75 | No prize awarded | |
| 76 | Kyōzō Miyoshi | Kosodate Gokko (子育てごっこ; lit. Playing at Raising Children) | |
| 1977 | 77 | No prize awarded | |
| 78 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1978 | 79 | Yō Tsumoto Takehiro Irokawa |
Jinjū no Umi (深重の海; lit. Jinjū's Sea) Rikon (離婚; lit. Divorce) |
| 80 | Tomiko Miyao Natsuo Ariake |
Ichigen no Koto (一絃の琴; lit. One-Stringed Harp) Dai Naniwa Morobito Ourai (大浪花諸人往来; lit. The Comings and Goings of the Many People of Great Naniwa) | |
| 1979 | 81 | Takashi Atōda[9] Komimasa Tanaka |
Napoleon Crazy (ナポレオン狂, Naporeon Kyō) Rōkyoku-shi Asahimaru no Hanashi (浪曲師朝日丸の話; lit. The Tales of Master Storyteller Asahimaru), Mimi no Koto (ミミのこと; lit. Matters of the Ear) |
| 82 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1980 | 83 | Kuniko Mukōda Kageki Shimoda |
Hana no Namae (花の名前; lit. Name of the Flower), Kawauso (かわうそ; lit. Otter), Inugoya (犬小屋; lit. Dog House) Kiiroi Kiba (黄色い牙; lit. Yellow Fang) |
| 84 | Masanori Nakamura | Genshu no Muhon (元首の謀叛; lit. Sovereign's Rebellion) | |
| 1981 | 85 | Yukio Aoshima | Ningen Banji Saiō ga Hinoeuma (人間万事塞翁が丙午; lit. Everything Happens Unpredictably in the Year of the Horse) |
| 86 | Kôhei Tsuka Akira Mitsuoka |
Kamata Kōshinkyoku (蒲田行進曲; lit. Kamata March) Kirai (機雷; lit. Sea Mine) | |
| 1982 | 87 | Yūsuke Fukada Tomomi Muramatsu |
En'netsu Shōnin (炎熱商人; lit. Unbearable Heat Merchant) Jidai-ya no Nyōbō (時代屋の女房; lit. Wife of the Shop Era) |
| 88 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1983 | 89 | Kōshi Kurumizawa | Kuropan Furyo-ki (黒パン俘虜記; lit. Chronicle of the Brown Bread Prisoners) |
| 90 | Takurō Kanki Osamu Takahashi |
Shiseikatsu (私生活; lit. Private Life) Hiden (秘伝; lit. Mystery) | |
| 1984 | 91 | Mikihiko Renjō Toshizō Nanba |
Koibumi (恋文; lit. Love Letter) Tennojimura (てんのじ村; lit. Tennoji Village) |
| 92 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1985 | 93 | Yōko Yamaguchi | Enka no Mushi (演歌の虫; lit. Enka Insects), Rōbai (老梅; lit. Old Plum) |
| 94 | Seigo Morita Mariko Hayashi |
Uogashi Monogatari (魚河岸ものがたり; lit. Fish Market Story) Saishuu-bin ni Maniaeba (最終便に間に合えば; lit. If I'm in Time for the Last Trip), Kyoto Made (京都まで; lit. Until Kyōto) | |
| 1986[10] | 95 | Hiroko Minagawa | Koi Kurenai (恋紅; lit. Crimson Love) |
| 96 | Gō Ōsaka Shinpei Tokiwa |
The Red Star of Cadiz (カディスの赤い星, Kadisu no Akai Hoshi) Tooi Amerika (遠いアメリカ; lit. Far Off America) | |
| 1987[10] | 97 | Amy Yamada Ichirō Shiraishi |
Sōru Myūjikku Rabāzu Onrī (ソウル・ミュージック・ラバーズ・オンリー; lit. Soul Music Lovers Only) Kairōden (海狼伝; lit. Legend of the Sea Wolf) |
| 98 | Makio Abe | Sorezore no Tsuigakushō (それぞれの終楽章; lit. The End of Each Musical Movement) | |
| 1988 | 99 | Tamio Kageyama Masaaki Nishiki |
Tōi Umi kara Kita Coo (遠い海から来たCOO; lit. From a Distant Ocean Came Coo) Kooreru Hitomi (凍れる瞳; lit. An Eye Freezing Over), Hashima no Onna (端島の女; lit. The Hashima Woman) |
| 100 | Akiko Sugimoto Shizuko Tōdō |
Tōkyō Shin Ōhashi Uchūzu (東京新大橋雨中図; lit. Tokyo New Big Bridge Path Plan) Urete Yuku Natsu (熟れてゆく夏; lit. Ripening Summer) |
101st to present
[edit]| 1989 | 101 | Nejime Shōichi Akira Sasakura |
Kōenji Junjō Shōtengai (高円寺純情商店街; lit. Kōenji Purehearted Shopping District) Tooi Kuni kara no Satsujinsha (遠い国からの殺人者; lit. Murderer from a Distant Land) |
| 102 | Seiji Hashikawa Ryō Hara |
Kodenshō (小伝抄; lit. Precise Biographical Sketch) Watashi ga Koroshita Shōjo (私が殺した少女; lit. The Girl I Killed) | |
| 1990 | 103 | Tsumao Awasaka | Kage Kikyō (蔭桔梗; lit. Shadow Bellflower) |
| 104 | Kaoru Furukawa | Hyōhakusha no Aria (漂泊者のアリア; lit. A Vagabond's Aria) | |
| 1991 | 105 | Masamitsu Miyagitani Sunao Ashihara |
Kaki Shunjyū (夏姫春秋; lit. Summer Princess Spring and Autumn) Seishun Dendekedekedeke (青春デンデケデケデケ; lit. Youth Dendekedekedeke) |
| 106 | Yoshio Takahashi Katsuhiko Takahashi |
Ōkami Bugyō (狼奉行; lit. Wolf Magistrate) Akai Kioku (緋い記憶; lit. Red Memory) | |
| 1992 | 107 | Shizuka Ijūin | Uke Tsuki (受け月; lit. Receiving Month) |
| 108 | Tatsurō Dekune | Tsukudashima Futari Shobō (佃島ふたり書房; lit. Tsukuda Island Two Bookstores) | |
| 1993 | 109 | Kaoru Takamura Aiko Kitahara |
Mākusu no Yama (マークスの山; lit. Marks' Mountain) The Budding Tree (恋忘れ草, Koi Wasuregusa) |
| 110 | Arimasa Osawa Masayoshi Satō |
Shinjuku Zame – Mugen Ningyō (新宿鮫 無間人形; lit. Shinjuku Sharks: Infinite Puppets) Ebisu-ya Kihei Tebikae (恵比寿屋喜兵衛手控え; lit. Ebisu Shop Kihei Memorandum) | |
| 1994 | 111 | Akihiko Nakamura Yasuhisa Ebisawa |
Futatsu no Sanga (二つの山河; lit. Two Mountains and Rivers) Kikyō (帰郷; lit. Homecoming) |
| 112 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1995 | 113 | Shun Akasegawa | Hakkyū Zan'ei (白球残映) |
| 114 | Mariko Koike Iori Fujiwara |
Koi (恋; lit. Love) Terorisuto no Parasoru (テロリストのパラソル; lit. The Terrorist's Parasol) | |
| 1996[11] | 115 | Asa Nonami | The Hunter (凍える牙, Kogoeru Kiba) |
| 116 | Masako Bandō | Yamahaha (山妣; lit. Mountain Mother) | |
| 1997 | 117 | Setsuko Shinoda Jirō Asada |
Onnatachi no Jihaado (女たちのジハード; lit. The Women's Jihad) The Stationmaster (鉄道員, Poppoya) |
| 118 | No prize awarded | ||
| 1998 | 119 | Chōkitsu Kurumatani | The Paradise Bird Tattoo (赤目四十八瀧心中未遂, Akame Shijūya-taki Shinjū Misui) |
| 120 | Miyuki Miyabe | Riyū (理由; lit. The Reason) | |
| 1999 | 121 | Kenichi Satō Natsuo Kirino |
Ōhi no Rikon (王妃の離婚; lit. The Queen's Divorce) Yawaraka na Hoho (柔らかな頬; lit. Soft Cheeks) |
| 122 | Rei Nakanishi | Nagasaki Burabura Bushi (長崎ぶらぶら節; lit. Ballad of a Nagasaki Stroll) | |
| 2000 | 123 | Yoichi Funado Kazuki Kaneshiro |
May in the Valley of the Rainbow (虹の谷の五月, Niji no Tani no Gogatsu) Go |
| 124 | Kiyoshi Shigematsu Fumio Yamamoto |
Bitamin F (ビタミンF; lit. Vitamin F) Puranaria (プラナリア; lit. Planaria) | |
| 2001 | 125 | Yoshinaga Fujita[12] | Ai no Ryōbun (愛の領分; lit. Territory of Love) |
| 126 | Ichiriki Yamamoto Kei Yuikawa |
Akanezora (あかね空; lit. A Deep-Red Sky) Katagoshi no Koibito (肩ごしの恋人; lit. Over-the-Shoulder Lover) | |
| 2002 | 127 | Yuzaburō Otokawa | Ikiru (生きる; lit. To Live) |
| 128 | No prize awarded | ||
| 2003 | 129 | Ira Ishida Yuka Murayama |
4-Teen (4TEEN フォーティーン) Hoshiboshi no Fune (星々の舟, lit. Ship of Stars) |
| 130 | Kaori Ekuni Natsuhiko Kyogoku |
Gokyu suru Junbi wa Dekiteita (号泣する準備はできていた; lit. Preparations for Crying Have Been Made) Nochino Kōsetsu Hyaku Monogatari (後巷説百物語, lit. Further Gossip Hundred Tales) | |
| 2004 | 131 | Hideo Okuda Tatsuya Kumagai |
Kūchū Buranko (空中ブランコ; lit. Trapeze) Kaikō no Mori (邂逅の森; lit. Forest of the Chance Meeting) |
| 132 | Mitsuyo Kakuta | Taigan no Kanojo (対岸の彼女; lit. The Woman on the Opposite Shore) | |
| 2005 | 133 | Minato Shukawa | Hana Manma (花まんま; lit. As a Flower) |
| 134 | Keigo Higashino | The Devotion of Suspect X (容疑者Xの献身, Yōgisha X no Kenshin) | |
| 2006 | 135 | Shion Miura Eto Mori |
Mahoro Ekimae Tada Benri-ken (まほろ駅前多田便利軒; lit. The Convenience Shop Just Before Mahoro Station) Kaze ni Maiagaru Binīru Shīto (風に舞いあがるビニールシート; lit. A Vinyl Sheet Dancing in the Wind) |
| 136 | No prize awarded | ||
| 2007 | 137 | Kesako Matsui | Yoshiwara Tebikigusa (吉原手引草; lit. Yoshiwara Handbook) |
| 138[13] | Kazuki Sakuraba | Watashi no Otoko (私の男; lit. My Man) | |
| 2008 | 139 | Areno Inoue | Kiriha e (切羽へ; lit. To the Face) |
| 140 | Arata Tendo Ken'ichi Yamamoto |
Itamu Hito (悼む人; lit. Mourned Person) Rikyū ni Tazune yo (利休にたずねよ; lit. Go Ask Rikyū) | |
| 2009 | 141 | Kaoru Kitamura | Sagi to Yuki (鷺と雪; lit. Herons and Snow) |
| 142 | Jō Sasaki Kazufumi Shiraishi |
Haikyo ni Kō (廃墟に乞う; lit. An Invitation to the Ruins) Hokanaranu Hito e (ほかならぬ人へ; lit. To None Other Than) | |
| 2010 | 143 | Kyōko Nakajima | Chiisai O'uchi (小さいおうち; lit. A Small House) |
| 144 | Nobori Kiuchi Shūsuke Michio |
Hyōsa no Utau (漂砂のうたう; lit. The Singing of the Sands) Tsuki to Kani (月と蟹; lit. The Moon and Crabs) | |
| 2011 | 145[14] | Jun Ikeido | Shitamachi Roketto (下町ロケット, lit. Shitamachi Rocket) |
| 146[15] | Rin Hamuro | Higurashi no Ki (蜩ノ記; lit. Cicada Chronicles) | |
| 2012 | 147 | Mizuki Tsujimura | Kagi no nai Yume wo Miru (鍵のない夢を見る; lit. I Saw a Dream Without a Key) |
| 148[16] | Asai Ryo Abe Ryutaro |
Nanimono (何者; lit. Who Is This?) Tohaku (等伯) | |
| 2013 | 149[17] | Shino Sakuragi | Hotel Royal (ホテルローヤル) |
| 150[18] | Makate Asai Kaoruko Himeno |
Renka (恋歌; lit. Love Song) Shōwa no inu (昭和の犬; lit. Dog of Showa) | |
| 2014 | 151[19] | Hiroyuki Kurokawa | Hamon (破門; lit. Expulsion) |
| 152[20] | Kanako Nishi | Saraba! (サラバ!; lit. Farewell!) | |
| 2015 | 153 | Akira Higashiyama | Ryu (流) |
| 154 | Bunpei Aoyama | Tsuma wo Metorava (つまをめとらば; lit. If You Marry a Wife) | |
| 2016 | 155 | Hiroshi Ogiwara | Umi no Mieru Rihatsuten (海の見える理髪店; lit. The Barber Shop with an Ocean View) |
| 156[21] | Riku Onda | Honeybees and Distant Thunder (蜜蜂と遠雷; Mitsubachi to Enrai) | |
| 2017 | 157[22] | Shogo Sato | Tsuki no Michikake (月の満ち欠け; lit. The Waxing and Waning of the Moon) |
| 158[23] | Yoshinobu Kadoi | Gingatetsudo no Chichi (銀河鉄道の父; lit. Father of the Galaxy Railroad) | |
| 2018 | 159[24] | Rio Shimamoto | Fāsuto Rabu (ファーストラヴ; lit. First Love) |
| 160[25] | Junjō Shindō | Takarajima (宝島; lit. Hero's Island) | |
| 2019 | 161[26] | Masumi Oshima | Uzu Imoseyama Onna Teikin Tamamusubi (渦 妹背山婦女庭訓魂結び, lit. Whirlpool, Husband and Wife Mountains: A Mirror of Virtuous Women, Requiem) |
| 162[27] | Soichi Kawagoe | Netsu Gen (熱源, lit. Heat Source) | |
| 2020 | 163[28] | Hase Seishū | The Boy and the Dog (少年と犬, Shonen to Inu) |
| 164[29] | Naka Saijo | Kokoro(ura) sabishi kawa (心（うら）淋し川; lit. Lonely River) | |
| 2021 | 165[30] | Toko Sawada Norikazu Sato |
Hoshi ochite, nao (星落ちて、なお; lit. The Stars Have Fallen) Tezcatlipoca (テスカトリポカ) |
| 166[31] | Shogo Imamura Honobu Yonezawa |
Saiō no Tate (塞王の楯; lit. Shield of the Fortress King) The Samurai and the Prisoner (黒牢城, Kokurōjō) | |
| 2022 | 167[32] | Misumi Kubo | Yoru ni Hoshi wo Hanatsu (夜に星を放つ; lit. The Night of Shooting Stars) |
| 168[33] | Satoshi Ogawa Akane Chihaya |
Chizu to Kobushi (地図と拳; lit. Map and Fist) Shirogane no Ha (しろがねの葉; lit. Silver Leaf) | |
| 2023 | 169[34] | Ryōsuke Kakine Sayako Nagai |
Gokuraku Seii-taishōgun (極楽征夷大将軍; lit. General of the Paradise) Kobiki-chō no Adauchi (木挽町のあだ討ち; lit. Revenge in Kobikicho) |
| 170[35] | Akiko Kawasaki Manabu Makime |
Tomogui (ともぐい) Hachigatsu no Gosho-ground (八月の御所グラウンド; lit. The Imperial Palace Grounds in August) | |
| 2024 | 171[36] | Michi Ichiho | Tsumidemic (ツミデミック) |
| 172[37] | Shin Iyohara | Ai o Tsugu Umi (藍を継ぐ海) | |
| 2025 | 173[38] | No prize awarded | |
| 174[39] | Teru Shimazu | Cafe no Kaerimichi (カフェーの帰り道) |
Winners and nominees available in English translation
[edit]Winners
[edit]- 1961 (45th) - Tsutomu Mizukami, The Temple of the Wild Geese (In The Temple of the Wild Geese and Bamboo Dolls of Echizen, trans. Dennis C. Washburn, Dalkey Archive Press, 2008)
- 1967 (57th) - Akiyuki Nosaka, American Hijiki (In The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories, trans. Jay Rubin, Penguin Books, 2017) / Grave of the Fireflies, trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori, Penguin Classics, 2025.
- 1973 (69th) - Hideo Osabe, Tsugaru Jonkarabushi and Tsugaru Yosarebushi (In Voices from the Snow, trans. James N. Westerhoven, Hirosaki University Press, 2009)
- 1979 (81st) - Takashi Atōda, "Napoleon Crazy", "The Visitor", and "The Transparent Fish" (In Napoleon Crazy and Other Stories, trans. Stanleigh H. Jones, Kodansha International, 1986) / "Of Golf and Its Beginnings" and "A Treatise on Count St. German" (In The Square Persimmon and Other Stories, trans. Millicent M. Horton, Tuttle Publishing, 1991)
- 1986 (96th) - Go Osaka, The Red Star of Cadiz (trans. Usha Jayaraman, Kurodahan Press, 2008)
- 1993 (109th) - Aiko Kitahara, The Budding Tree (trans. Ian MacDonald, Dalkey Archive Press, 2008)
- 1996 (115th) - Asa Nonami, The Hunter (trans. Juliet Winters Carpenter, Kodansha International, 2006)
- 1997 (117th) - Jirō Asada, The Stationmaster (trans. Terry Gallagher, Viz Media, 2009)
- 1998 (119th) - Chōkitsu Kurumatani, The Paradise Bird Tattoo (trans. Kenneth J. Bryson, Counterpoint, 2010)
- 2000 (123rd)
- Yoichi Funado, May in the Valley of the Rainbow (trans. Eve Alison Nyren, Vertical, 2006)
- Kazuki Kaneshiro, Go (trans. Takami Nieda, AmazonCrossing, 2018)
- 2005 (134th) - Keigo Higashino, The Devotion of Suspect X (trans. Alexander O. Smith, Minotaur Books, 2011)
- 2010 (143rd) - Kyoko Nakajima, The Little House (trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori, Darf Publishing, 2019)
- 2015 (153rd) - Akira Higashiyama, Ryu (trans. Alison Watts, 26letters, 2025)
- 2016 (156th) - Riku Onda, Honeybees and Distant Thunder (trans. Philip Gabriel, Pegasus Books, 2023)
- 2018 (159th) - Rio Shimamoto, First Love (trans. Louise Heal Kawai, Honford Star, 2024)
- 2020 (163rd) - Hase Seishū, The Boy and the Dog (trans. Alison Watts, Viking Press, 2022)
- 2021 (166th) - Honobu Yonezawa, The Samurai and the Prisoner (trans. Giuseppe di Martino, Yen Press, 2023)
Nominees
[edit]- 1938 (7th) - Sakae Kubo, Land of Volcanic Ash (trans. David G. Goodman, Cornell University East Asia Program, 1986)
- 1963 (49th) - Toshiyuki Kajiyama, The Remembered Shadow of the Yi Dynasty (In The Clan Records: Five Stories of Korea, trans. Yoshiko Dykstra, University of Hawaii Press, 1995)
- 1963 (50th) - Masako Togawa, The Lady Killer (trans. Simon Grove, Pushkin Press, 2018)
- 1983 (89th) - Kenzo Kitakata, The Cage (trans. Paul Warham, Vertical, 2006)
- 1986 (95th) - Keiichiro Ryu, The Blade of the Courtesans (trans. James M. Vardaman, Vertical, 2008)
- 1988 (100th) - Joh Sasaki, Zero Over Berlin (trans. Hiroko Yoda, Vertical, 2004)
- 1991 (105th) - Miyuki Miyabe, The Sleeping Dragon (trans. Deborah Iwabuchi, Kodansha International, 2009)
- 1996 (115th) - Koji Suzuki, Dark Water (trans. Glynne Walley, Vertical, 2004)
- 1997 (118th) - Natsuo Kirino, Out (trans. Stephen Snyder, Vintage Books, 2005)
- 1998 (120th)
- Keigo Higashino, Naoko (trans. Kerim Yasar, Vertical, 2004)
- Hideo Yokoyama, Prefecture D (trans. Jonathan Lloyd-Davies, Riverrun, 2019)
- 1999 (122nd) - Keigo Higashino, Journey Under the Midnight Sun (trans. Alexander O. Smith, Little, Brown, 2015)
- 2001 (126th) - Ira Ishida, Call Boy (trans. Lamar Stone, Shueisha, 2013)
- 2004 (132nd) - Kōtarō Isaka, 3 Assassins (trans. Sam Malissa, Harvill Secker, 2022)
- 2005 (133rd)
- Hideo Furukawa, Belka, Why Don't You Bark? (trans. Michael Emmerich, Viz Media, 2012)
- Akiko Itoyama, In Pursuit of Lavender (trans. Charles de Wolf, Anthem Press, 2013)
- 2007 (137th)
- Kazuki Sakuraba, Red Girls: The Legend of the Akakuchibas (trans. Jocelyne Allen, Viz Media, 2015)
- Tomihiko Morimi, The Night is Short, Walk on Girl (trans. Emily Balistrieri, Yen Press, 2019)
- 2011 (145th) - Kazuaki Takano, Genocide of One (trans. Philip Gabriel, Mulholland Books, 2014)
- 2015 (153rd) - Asako Yuzuki, Hooked (trans. Polly Barton, Ecco Press, 2026)
- 2015 (154th) - Natsu Miyashita, The Forest of Wool and Steel (trans. Philip Gabriel, Doubleday, 2019)
- 2017 (157th) - Asako Yuzuki, Butter (trans. Polly Barton, Ecco Press, 2024)
Current members of the selection committee
[edit](As of 2024)[40]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Mack, Edward (2004). "Accounting for Taste: The Creation of the Akutagawa and Naoki Prizes for Literature". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. 64 (2): 291–340. doi:10.2307/25066744. JSTOR 25066744.
- ^ "Literary Awards, N-Z". JLit. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ a b Fukue, Natsuko (February 14, 2012). "Literary awards run spectrum". The Japan Times. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ "Akutagawa Prize". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ "直木賞受賞者一覧" [Naoki Prize Winners List] (in Japanese). Bungeishunjū. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "AnimeCornerStore.com: Grave of the Fireflies". Retrieved 2012-07-26.
- ^ "Jun'ichi Watanabe". Japanese Literature Publishing Project website. Japanese Literature Publishing and Promotion Center. Archived from the original on 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ^ Embassy of Japan in the UK
- ^ – Kyoto SU
- ^ a b Museion site – winners to 2005
- ^ Kodansha
- ^ Announced July 18th 2001 Japan Weekly Monitor, Kyodo News International, Tokyo, Japan July 23rd 2001
- ^ "芥川賞に川上未映子さん、直木賞は桜庭一樹さん". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). January 16, 2008. Archived from the original on January 19, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "Writer Ikeido wins Naoki Prize". The Japan Times. July 16, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "Tanaka, Enjo win Akutagawa award; Hamuro gets Naoki". The Japan Times. January 19, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "Top literature awards split by oldest, youngest novelists". The Japan Times. January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- ^ "Fujino wins Akutagawa award; Sakuragi gets Naoki prize". The Japan Times. July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "Literature prizes elevate women". The Japan Times. January 25, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ^ "Akutagawa, Naoki literary awards go to Shibasaki, Kurokawa". The Japan Times. July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ^ "Ono wins Akutagawa literary award; Nishi wins Naoki Prize". The Japan Times. January 16, 2015.
- ^ "Sumito Yamashita claims 156th Akutagawa Prize". The Japan Times. January 20, 2017.
- ^ "First-time writer Shinsuke Numata wins prestigious Akutagawa Prize". The Japan Times. July 19, 2017.
- ^ "Chisako Wakatake and Yuka Ishii win Akutagawa literary award; Yoshinobu Kadoi bags Naoki Prize". The Japan Times. January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
- ^ "Hiroki Takahashi wins Akutagawa literary award, while Rio Shimamoto bags Naoki Prize". The Japan Times. July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "古市氏は受賞逃す、芥川賞に上田岳弘氏と町屋良平氏". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). January 16, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ "Two women named for Japan's Akutagawa, Naoki literary awards". Kyodo News. July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019 – via The Japan Times.
- ^ "Novelists Makoto Furukawa and Soichi Kawagoe to receive Japan's Akutagawa and Naoki literary prizes". Kyodo News. January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020 – via The Japan Times.
- ^ "Novelists Takayama and Tono win Akutagawa awards; Hase wins Naoki Prize". The Japan Times. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "第164回直木賞 西條奈加さん『心淋し川』の受賞が決まる". bunshun.jp (in Japanese). 20 January 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ "第165回芥川賞と直木賞 それぞれ2作品が決まる". NHK (in Japanese). 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ "第166回「直木賞」"時代もの"W受賞 『氷菓』原作者・米澤穂信氏『黒牢城』 今村翔吾氏『塞王の楯』". Oricon (in Japanese). 19 January 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ "第167回「芥川賞・直木賞」決定 芥川賞は高瀬隼子氏『おいしいごはんが食べられますように』、直木賞は窪美澄氏『夜に星を放つ』". Oricon. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ "第168回芥川賞・直木賞に4氏決まる". Sankei Shimbun. 19 January 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ "芥川賞に市川沙央さん 直木賞は垣根涼介さん、永井紗耶子さん". Jiji.com. 19 July 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ "直木賞に河崎秋子さんと万城目学さん、芥川賞に九段理江さん". Asahi Shimbun. 17 January 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "直木賞、一穂ミチさんの「ツミデミック」が受賞". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
- ^ "直木賞 伊与原新さんの「藍を継ぐ海」を選出". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 15 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ "芥川賞・直木賞ともに「該当作なし」28年ぶり6回目". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 16 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "「第174回芥川賞」決定 共に1992年生まれの鳥山まこと氏&畠山丑雄氏が受賞 『直木賞』は嶋津輝氏". Oricon (in Japanese). 14 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ "【速報】第171回直木三十五賞候補作が発表されました。 | ニュース". 本の話 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
External links
[edit]- J'Lit | Awards : Naoki Prize | Books from Japan Archived 2017-11-16 at the Wayback Machine (in English)
| Authority control databases: National |
|---|
Naoki Prize
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
The Naoki Prize, officially the Naoki Sanjugo Prize (直木三十五賞), is a prestigious biannual Japanese literary award established in 1935 to honor excellence in popular fiction.[1] Named after the renowned novelist, screenwriter, and film director Naoki Sanjugo (1891–1934), who was celebrated for his accessible and entertaining works, the prize was founded by publisher and author Kikuchi Kan to promote engaging literature that appeals to a broad audience.[1] It is administered by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature and awarded twice yearly—in January for works published in the latter half of the previous year and in July for those from the first half of the current year—recognizing novels or short story collections that exemplify high-quality popular or genre fiction, often by mid-career or established authors.[2][3]
Complementing the Akutagawa Prize, which focuses on pure or "serious" literature typically by emerging writers, the Naoki Prize emphasizes entertainment value, narrative skill, and cultural resonance in genres such as mystery, historical fiction, and contemporary drama, without strict age or debut restrictions.[1][2] A selection committee of prominent literary figures evaluates submissions from newspapers and magazines, selecting one or occasionally multiple winners whose works demonstrate sustained excellence and public appeal.[3] The award carries significant prestige in Japan, often boosting recipients' careers and sales, and has been conferred on over 170 occasions, though rare instances, such as the 173rd cycle in July 2025, have seen no recipients due to the committee deeming no works sufficiently outstanding.[4]
Notable past winners include authors like Toshiyuki Kajiyama for The Clan Records (1963) and more recent honorees such as Shin Iyohara for Ai o Tsugu Umi (2025), Satoshi Ogawa for The Map and The Fist (2023), and Teru Shimazu for Kafe no Kaerimichi (announced January 14, 2026)[5], highlighting the prize's role in elevating diverse voices in popular Japanese literature.[6][3][4] Over its nearly nine decades, the Naoki Prize has evolved to reflect changing literary trends while maintaining its commitment to accessible storytelling, solidifying its status as one of Japan's most influential awards alongside its literary counterpart.[1]
This period encompasses 92 cycles (83rd to 174th), with 8 no-awards, contributing to the overall history of the prize, which has seen approximately 143 awards across 173 cycles since inception (with about 30 no-award instances total as of 2025). The 2025 upper-half session marked a rare anomaly, as no works were selected for either the Naoki or the companion Akutagawa Prize—the first such joint non-award since 1953—prompting discussions on the state of contemporary submissions. The most recent award, the 174th in January 2026, went to Teru Shimazu for Kafe no Kaerimichi.[29][14][5]
The prize's impact on recipients remains profound, often catapulting works to bestseller status and enhancing authors' careers. For instance, Higashino's The Devotion of Suspect X sold over two million copies in Japan following its 2005 award, establishing him as a leading figure in global mystery literature. Similarly, Miura's post-prize career flourished, with her subsequent novel The Great Passage (2011) becoming a major bestseller and award-winner in its own right, adapted into a film that grossed significant box office revenue. These outcomes illustrate the Naoki Prize's enduring role in commercial and cultural amplification of popular fiction.[31][3]
These nominations have significantly elevated the profiles of their authors on the global stage. For instance, Keigo Higashino's Naoko, a surreal mystery exploring identity and illusion, garnered critical acclaim in English for its psychological depth, helping establish Higashino as a household name in international crime fiction long before his 2006 Naoki win for a different work.[39] Hideo Yokoyama's Prefecture D, with its interconnected novellas delving into the intricacies of Japanese police culture, developed a dedicated following among English-speaking readers interested in procedural thrillers, underscoring the nomination's role in highlighting bureaucratic noir. Despite these successes, gaps persist: many recent nominees from the 2010s and early 2020s, such as those exploring urban alienation or historical drama, lack full English editions, limiting the prize's broader international impact and leaving room for future translations to bridge this divide.
History
Founding and early years
The Naoki Prize was established in 1935 by the writer and editor Kikuchi Kan as a counterpart to the Akutagawa Prize, which honored emerging talents in pure literature.[7] Named in memory of Naoki Sanjūgo (1891–1934), a prominent novelist and drama critic known for his contributions to popular fiction, the award aimed to recognize excellence in accessible, mass-appeal works.[8] Kikuchi, who had founded the Bungeishunjū publishing house and its flagship magazine in 1923, sought to balance the literary landscape by promoting "popular literature" (tsūzoku bungaku) alongside more elite forms.[7] Sponsored jointly by Bungeishunjū and the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature, the prize targeted rising authors under the age of 50 whose works demonstrated potential for sustained careers in engaging, broadly readable narratives.[8] The inaugural award was given in July 1935 to Matsutarō Kawaguchi for his short story Tsuruhachi Tsurujirō, a tale of human resilience set in historical Osaka that exemplified the prize's emphasis on relatable storytelling.[7] From the outset, the Naoki Prize operated on a biannual basis: the "upper" award for works published from January to June, announced in July, and the "lower" award for July to December publications, announced in January of the following year.[8] During the pre-war and wartime periods, the prize continued to highlight prolific writers of genre fiction, historical novels, and social dramas, fostering a vibrant scene of tsūzoku bungaku amid Japan's expanding media landscape.[7] However, World War II brought disruptions, with awards proceeding irregularly due to paper shortages, censorship, and mobilization efforts; the final pre-suspension prize was issued in 1944, followed by a halt from 1945 onward, resulting in approximately 18 competitions and awards by the end of 1943.[9]Post-war evolution and key milestones
Following the end of World War II, the Naoki Prize was restored in 1949 under the sponsorship of the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature, an organization established in 1938 to advance literary arts amid the challenges of reconstruction. This resumption marked a deliberate shift toward emphasizing entertainment-oriented novels, which were seen as vital for uplifting public morale and fostering cultural recovery in a society grappling with devastation and censorship's aftermath. The Society, formalized as a public interest foundation post-war, administered the award alongside publisher Bungeishunjū, ensuring its continuity as a biannual honor for popular literature.[10][11] Key milestones in the prize's post-war trajectory highlighted its evolving role in Japanese letters. In 1959, Ryōtarō Shiba received the award for his novel Fukurō no Shiro (The Castle of Owls), a work that significantly boosted the visibility and appeal of historical fiction within the popular genre, inspiring subsequent waves of taiga drama adaptations and broader interest in Japan's past. By the 1970s, the prize's structure was enhanced with the addition of a substantial cash component—initially limited to a commemorative watch—making it more competitive and reflective of growing literary market dynamics. Institutional refinements included the formalization of eligibility guidelines, such as an age limit under 50 for emerging authors while allowing no upper limit for established mid-career writers, which sharpened its distinction from newcomer-focused awards.[12][11] The 1990s brought further adaptations to promote inclusivity, with adjustments encouraging gender balance and the recognition of diverse genres like mystery fiction, as evidenced by Miyuki Miyabe's 1998 win for Riyū (The Reason), which exemplified the prize's embrace of socially engaged popular narratives. These changes aligned with broader cultural shifts toward pluralism in literature. The post-war economic miracle of the 1950s through the 1980s amplified the award's prestige, as rising prosperity expanded publishing and readership, culminating in over 100 conferrals by 2000 despite occasional withholdings, such as the first no-winner declaration in the first half of 1953 due to the selection committee's concerns over insufficient quality among nominees.[13] In recent years, the prize has continued to reflect selectivity, with no award given in the July 2025 cycle (173rd), marking a rare instance of the committee finding no sufficiently outstanding works as of November 2025.[14] Throughout this period, the Naoki Prize solidified its cultural significance by championing mid-career authors in accessible popular genres—encompassing historical, mystery, and entertainment fiction—thereby contrasting with the Akutagawa Prize's emphasis on innovative "pure" literature for debutants. This duality reinforced the prize's role in bridging commercial appeal and artistic merit, sustaining its influence on Japan's literary ecosystem without overlapping into avant-garde experimentation.[1][10]Award criteria and selection
Eligibility and categories
The Naoki Prize recognizes excellence in popular literature, known as taishū bungaku or entertainment fiction, which encompasses genres such as mysteries, historical novels, romances, and other accessible narrative forms aimed at broad readerships.[15] This category stands in contrast to the Akutagawa Prize's emphasis on jun bungaku, or pure literature, which prioritizes artistic and experimental prose over commercial appeal.[15] The award targets works that demonstrate originality, engaging storytelling, and potential for widespread cultural impact, often bridging the gap between elite literary traditions and mass-market entertainment.[11] Eligibility focuses on emerging and mid-career authors, with no formal age restrictions, though recipients are typically those whose careers are still developing rather than highly established veterans.[15] Qualifying works must be original Japanese-language novels or short story collections published as single-volume books (tanko) by commercial publishers during the preceding six-month period: December to May for the upper-half award (announced in July) or June to November for the lower-half award (announced in January).[15] Submissions are handled exclusively through publishers, such as Bungeishunjū or other major houses, with no provision for self-nominations or direct author entries; the process emphasizes professionally vetted manuscripts that have already entered the market and shown initial reader engagement.[16] The prize consists of 1 million yen in cash and a commemorative pocket watch, awarded to up to two recipients per cycle (one per half-year category) when suitable works are identified; otherwise, no award is given.[17] Historically, the Naoki Prize was conceived in 1935 as a "middlebrow" accolade to foster fiction that mediates between highbrow purity and populist accessibility, rewarding not only individual excellence but also authors' overall potential for sustained productivity in popular genres.[11] Over time, while the core focus on entertainment literature has remained, the submission format has evolved from periodical publications to bound books, reflecting changes in Japan's publishing landscape.[11]Judging process and committee role
The Naoki Prize selection committee comprises seven members, all previous recipients of either the Naoki Prize or the Akutagawa Prize, ensuring evaluations by established figures in Japanese literature.[18] These members serve multi-year terms that vary in length, with periodic rotations to incorporate new perspectives while maintaining continuity in expertise.[19] The judging process begins with the identification of eligible works—novels or short story collections published during specified half-year periods (December to May for the upper session, June to November for the lower)—nominated and submitted by publishers.[15] Bungeishunju editors conduct initial readings to filter submissions, followed by multiple preliminary committees, consisting of several to around 20 members including writers and critics, which progressively narrow the list through discussions and votes to a shortlist of final candidates, typically five to six works.[20] The final committee then reviews these candidates anonymously before convening for deliberation.[21] Meetings occur biannually at the traditional venue of the Shin-Kiraku ryotei in Tokyo's Tsukiji district, with the upper session in July and the lower in January; sessions usually last about two hours but can extend significantly during contentious deliberations.[22] The committee discusses the works' artistic merit, popularity potential, and alignment with the prize's focus on entertainment literature, voting to select one or two winners by majority consensus; a work must meet a quality threshold to prevail, and if none does, no award is given.[23] The chair, typically the editor-in-chief of Bungeishunju's literary magazine, moderates proceedings to guide consensus on genre balance across popular fiction styles but holds no veto authority.[19] Challenges in the process include tied votes and debates over insufficient merit, leading to occasional no-award outcomes, such as the July 2025 upper session where six candidates were considered but none selected after a four-hour deliberation—the first joint Akutagawa-Naoki no-winner in 27 years.[23] Transparency is constrained, with decisions explained only through brief post-meeting comments from committee members published in Bungeishunju.[24] Recent practices reflect efforts to adapt to evolving genres, with committee rotations incorporating judges experienced in contemporary forms like light novels to broaden evaluation perspectives.[25]Winners
1935–1979
The Naoki Prize, established in 1935, recognized emerging authors of popular literature during its early decades, with numerous awards given through 1979 amid several no-award instances due to wartime suspensions, censorship, and rigorous standards. The initial years emphasized adventure tales and historical fiction, reflecting the era's cultural interests in dramatic narratives and national themes. For example, the inaugural 1st Naoki Prize (upper half of 1935) went to Kawaguchi Matsutarō for Tsuruhachi Tsurujirō and Furyū Fukagawa Uta, a story blending humor and social observation set in Edo-period Japan. Subsequent pre-war winners included Kaionji Chōgorō for Tenshō Onna Kassen: Budō Denrai Ki (3rd, upper 1936), an adventure-laden historical account of female warriors, and Ibuse Masuji for Jon Manjirō Hyōryūki (6th, lower 1937), a drifting tale inspired by real events that bridged popular and literary styles.[26][11] During the wartime period (1938–1944), the prize continued amid increasing censorship and resource shortages, often incorporating propaganda elements or military motifs, though several half-years saw no awards (e.g., upper 1937, both 1939, upper 1941, upper 1942, upper 1943, lower 1944). Notable recipients included Tachibana Sotō for Narin Denka e no Kaisō (7th, upper 1938), a memoir-like reflection on Korean royalty, and Okada Seizō for Nyūginia Sanga Sen (19th, upper 1944), a firsthand account of Pacific War battles that highlighted the era's focus on frontline experiences. The prize was suspended from 1945 to 1948 due to the war's end and occupation policies restricting literary activities. Male authors dominated throughout this phase, with early genres favoring mysteries, historical epics, and serialized adventures that appealed to broad audiences. The first female winner was Tsutsumi Chiyo, who shared the 11th Prize (upper 1940) with Kōchi Sensuke for Koyubi (Little Finger), a poignant domestic story amid wartime tensions. Shared awards became common, as in the inaugural prize and several post-war instances, reflecting the committee's flexibility.[26][11][27] Post-war resumption in 1949 marked a shift toward social realism, addressing reconstruction, inequality, and human resilience, with winners exploring urban life and moral dilemmas. The prize awarded biannually from 1949 onward, except for two no-award half-years in 1953 and a notable gap in selections. Key examples include Tomita Tsuneo for Men and Irezumi (21st, upper 1949), tales of post-war hardship and tattooed outcasts, and Dan Kazuo for Shinsetsu Ishikawa Goemon: Chōkonka (24th, lower 1950), a reimagined bandit legend infused with contemporary ethics. In the 1950s, the award propelled careers through works like Nitta Jirō and Kyū Eikan's shared win for Gōriki Den and Honkon (34th, lower 1955), blending labor struggles and expatriate stories. Ryōtarō Shiba received the 42nd Prize (lower 1959) for Fukurō no Shiro, a historical novel of feudal intrigue that launched his rise to national prominence as a chronicler of Japanese history. Jirō Osaragi, a influential figure in popular literature, contributed to the era's trends through his judging role and advocacy for accessible narratives, though his own major recognition came via other honors like the Asahi Prize in 1952. Male dominance persisted, with only sporadic female winners amid a focus on mysteries, social critiques, and historicals that shaped mid-century Japanese fiction.[26][11][28] From the 1960s to 1979, the Naoki Prize adapted to cultural shifts, incorporating urban mysteries and psychological depth while maintaining its emphasis on entertaining, market-driven stories. Representative awards included Hariha Eiji and Yamasaki Toyoko's shared 39th Prize (upper 1958, extending into the decade's tone) for Akai Yuki and Hana no Ren, exploring crime and geisha life, and later entries like those in the 1970s addressing modern alienation. The two no-award instances occurred in the upper and lower halves of 1977, reflecting rigorous selection standards. Overall, this era solidified the prize's role in elevating popular genres, fostering long careers for authors who blended entertainment with insightful commentary on Japanese society.[26]1980–present
The Naoki Prize from 1980 onward has reflected evolving trends in Japanese popular literature, including a marked increase in female laureates and the growing prominence of crime and mystery genres, which have dominated many awards due to their broad appeal and social commentary. Female winners, who were relatively rare in earlier decades, became more frequent post-1980, comprising approximately 30% of recipients in this period, with notable examples including Hayashi Mariko in 1985 for If You Make the Last Flight, Kyoto and Shion Miura in 2006 for Mahoro Station Front Convenience Store. This shift highlights greater gender diversity in the selection process, aligning with broader societal changes in Japan.[6][29] Crime fiction's rise is evident in high-profile awards like Keigo Higashino's 2005 win for The Devotion of Suspect X, a mathematical thriller that exemplifies the genre's blend of intellectual puzzles and emotional depth, and Miyuki Miyabe's 1998 prize for Reason, which explores vigilante justice. Post-2000, globalization influences appeared in works addressing multicultural themes, such as Kazuki Kaneshiro's 2000 award for GO, a novel about Korean-Japanese identity and youth culture, signaling the prize's adaptation to Japan's increasingly international literary landscape. These trends underscore the Naoki Prize's role in elevating accessible, genre-driven narratives that resonate with contemporary readers.[29][3][30] The following table provides a chronological list of Naoki Prize winners from the 90th award (1980) to the 174th (announced 2026), including no-winner instances. Prize numbers correspond to the official sequence, with upper-half awards announced in July and lower-half in January of the following year. Multiple winners per session are noted where applicable.| Prize Number | Year (Half) | Author(s) | Work(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | 1980 (Upper) | Kuniko Mukōda; Kageki Shimoda | Flower Names, Otters, Doghouses; Yellow Fang |
| 84 | 1980 (Lower) | Masanori Nakamura | The Conspiracy of the Head of State |
| 85 | 1981 (Upper) | Yukio Aoshima | Human Affairs, Saiō’s Horse |
| 86 | 1981 (Lower) | Akira Mitsuoka; Kōhei Tsuka | Mines; Kamata March |
| 87 | 1982 (Upper) | Yusuke Fukada; Tomomi Muramatsu | Heat Merchant; The Wife of Jidaimono |
| 88 | 1982 (Lower) | No winner | - |
| 89 | 1983 (Upper) | Kurihiko Kurahashi | Black Bread Prisoner Record |
| 90 | 1983 (Lower) | Takuro Kamiyoshi; Osamu Takahashi | Private Life; Secret |
| 91 | 1984 (Upper) | Riuzo Nanba; Mikihiko Renjo | Tennōji Village; Love Letter |
| 92 | 1984 (Lower) | No winner | - |
| 93 | 1985 (Upper) | Yoko Yamaguchi | Enka Insect, Old Plum |
| 94 | 1985 (Lower) | Seigo Morita; Mariko Hayashi | Fish Market Story; If You Make the Last Flight, Kyoto |
| 95 | 1986 (Upper) | Hiroko Minagawa | Love Red |
| 96 | 1986 (Lower) | Shinpei Tokiwa; Go Aisaka | Far America; Red Star of Cadiz |
| 97 | 1987 (Upper) | Ichiro Shiraishi; Eimi Yamada | Sea Wolf Legend; Soul Music Lovers Only |
| 98 | 1987 (Lower) | Bokuro Abe | Each Final Movement |
| 99 | 1988 (Upper) | Masaaki Nishiki; Tamio Kageyama | Frozen Eyes, Women of Hashima; COO from a Distant Sea |
| 100 | 1988 (Lower) | Shizuko Todo; Akiko Sugimoto | Ripening Summer; Tokyo Shin-Ohashi Rain Map |
| 101 | 1989 (Upper) | Shoji Nejime; Akira Sasakura | Koenji Pure Shopping Street; Murderer from a Far Country |
| 102 | 1989 (Lower) | Seiji Hoshikawa; Ryo Hara | Small Biography; The Girl I Killed |
| 103 | 1990 (Upper) | Tsumao Abesaka | Shadow Bellflower |
| 104 | 1990 (Lower) | Kaoru Furukawa | Aria of the Drifter |
| 105 | 1991 (Upper) | Taneaki Miyagi; Sunao Ashihara | Summer Princess Chronicles; Youth Dendenkedekedeke |
| 106 | 1991 (Lower) | Yoshio Takahashi; Katsuhiko Takahashi | Wolf Magistrate; Crimson Memory |
| 107 | 1992 (Upper) | Shizuka Ishigami | Receiving Moon |
| 108 | 1992 (Lower) | Tatsuro Izukure | Tsukishima Two-Person Bookstore |
| 109 | 1993 (Upper) | Aiko Kitahara; Kaoru Takamura | Forget-Me-Not of Love; Mark’s Mountain |
| 110 | 1993 (Lower) | Masami Sato; Zaicho Osawa | Ebisuya Kibe Handwritten Notes; Shinjuku Shark, Infinite Doll |
| 111 | 1994 (Upper) | Akihiko Nakamura; Yasuhisa Ebisawa | Two Mountains and Rivers; Return Home |
| 112 | 1994 (Lower) | No winner | - |
| 113 | 1995 (Upper) | Jun Akasegawa | White Ball Afterimage |
| 114 | 1995 (Lower) | Iori Fujiwara; Mariko Koike | Terrorist’s Umbrella; Love |
| 115 | 1996 (Upper) | Asa Nono | Frozen Fang |
| 116 | 1996 (Lower) | Masako Bandō | Mountain Mother |
| 117 | 1997 (Upper) | Jirō Asada; Setsuko Shinoda | Railway Worker (Poppoya); Women’s Jihad |
| 118 | 1997 (Lower) | No winner | - |
| 119 | 1998 (Upper) | Nagayoshi Kuratani | Red Eyes Forty-Eight Waterfalls Suicide Attempt |
| 120 | 1998 (Lower) | Miyuki Miyabe | Reason |
| 121 | 1999 (Upper) | Natsuo Kirino; Kenichi Satō | Soft Cheeks; Queen’s Divorce |
| 122 | 1999 (Lower) | Rei Nakanishi | Nagasaki Stroll Song |
| 123 | 2000 (Upper) | Yoichi Funato; Kazuki Kaneshiro | Rainbow Valley May; GO |
| 124 | 2000 (Lower) | Fumio Yamaoka; Kiyoshi Shigenatsu | Planaria; Vitamin F |
| 125 | 2001 (Upper) | Yoshinaga Fujita | Realm of Love |
| 126 | 2001 (Lower) | Megumi Yuikawa; Kazutaka Yamamoto | Lover Over the Shoulder; Akane Sky |
| 127 | 2002 (Upper) | Yusaburo Otokawa | Living |
| 128 | 2002 (Lower) | No winner | - |
| 129 | 2003 (Upper) | Yuka Murayama; Iro Ishida | Boat of the Stars; 4TEEN |
| 130 | 2003 (Lower) | Natsuhiko Kyogoku; Kaori Ekuni | Later Alley Tales of a Hundred Stories; Prepared to Cry |
| 131 | 2004 (Upper) | Tatsuya Kumagai; Hideo Okuda | Encounter Forest; Aerial Swing |
| 132 | 2004 (Lower) | Mitsuyo Kadota | The Woman on the Opposite Shore |
| 133 | 2005 (Upper) | Minato Akikawa | Flower Meal |
| 134 | 2005 (Lower) | Keigo Higashino | The Devotion of Suspect X |
| 135 | 2006 (Upper) | Eto Mori; Shion Miura | Vinyl Sheet Dancing in the Wind; Mahoro Station Front Convenience Store |
| 136 | 2006 (Lower) | No winner | - |
| 137 | 2007 (Upper) | Choko Matsui | Yoshiwara Guidebook |
| 138 | 2007 (Lower) | Kazuki Sakuraba | My Man |
| 139 | 2008 (Upper) | Arino Inoue | Cutting Edge |
| 140 | 2008 (Lower) | Kenichi Yamamoto; Kōta Tendō | Asking Rikyu; Mourning People |
| 141 | 2009 (Upper) | Kaoru Kitamura | Sagi to Yuki |
| 142 | 2009 (Lower) | Kazufumi Shiraishi; Jō Sasaki | Hokanaranu Hito e; Hiakyo ni Kō |
| 143 | 2010 (Upper) | Kyōko Nakajima | Chiisai O-uchi |
| 144 | 2010 (Lower) | Shūsuke Michio; Nobori Kiuchi | Tsuki to Kani; Hyōsa no Utau |
| 145 | 2011 (Upper) | Jun Ikeido | Shitamachi Rocket |
| 146 | 2011 (Lower) | Rin Hamuro | Higurashi no Ki |
| 147 | 2012 (Upper) | Mizuki Tsujimura | Kagi no Nai Yume o Miru |
| 148 | 2012 (Lower) | Ryūtaro Abe; Ryō Asai | Tōhaku; Nanimono |
| 149 | 2013 (Upper) | Shino Sakuragi | Hotel Royal |
| 150 | 2013 (Lower) | Kaoruko Himeno; Makate Asai | Shōwa no Inu; Renka |
| 151 | 2014 (Upper) | Hiroyuki Kurokawa | Hamon |
| 152 | 2014 (Lower) | Kanako Nishi | Saraba! |
| 153 | 2015 (Upper) | Akira Higashiyama | Ryū |
| 154 | 2015 (Lower) | Bunpei Aoyama | Tsuma o Meguraba |
| 155 | 2016 (Upper) | Hiroshi Ogiwara | Umi no Mieru Rihatsuten |
| 156 | 2016 (Lower) | Riku Onda | Honeybees and Distant Thunder |
| 157 | 2017 (Upper) | Shōgo Satō | Tsuki no Michikake |
| 158 | 2017 (Lower) | Yoshinobu Kadoi | Ginga Tetsudō no Chichi |
| 159 | 2018 (Upper) | Rio Shimamoto | First Love |
| 160 | 2018 (Lower) | Junjō Shindō | Takarajima |
| 161 | 2019 (Upper) | Masumi Ōshima | Uzu: Imoseyama Onna Teikin Tamamusubi |
| 162 | 2019 (Lower) | Sōichi Kawagoe | Netsugen |
| 163 | 2020 (Upper) | Seishū Hase | The Boy and the Dog |
| 164 | 2020 (Lower) | Naka Saijō | Urasabishigawa |
| 165 | 2021 (Upper) | Norikazu Satō; Tōko Sawada | Tezcatlipoca; Hoshi Ochite, Nao |
| 166 | 2021 (Lower) | Honobu Yonezawa; Shōgo Imamura | Kurojō; Saiō no Tate |
| 167 | 2022 (Upper) | Misumi Kubo | Yoru ni Hoshi o Hanatsu |
| 168 | 2022 (Lower) | Chihaya Akane; Satoshi Ogawa | Shirogane no Ha; Chizu to Kobushi |
| 169 | 2023 (Upper) | Ryōsuke Kakine; Sayako Nagai | Gokuraku Seii-Taishōgun; Kobiki-chō no Adauchi |
| 170 | 2023 (Lower) | Akiko Kawasaki; Manabu Makime | Tomogui; Hachigatsu no Gosho Guraundo |
| 171 | 2024 (Upper) | Ichio Michi | Tsumidemic |
| 172 | 2024 (Lower)/2025 (Winter) | Shin Iyohara | Ai o Tsugu Umi |
| 173 | 2025 (Upper) | No winner | - |
| 174 | 2025 (Lower)/2026 (Jan) | Teru Shimazu | Kafe no Kaerimichi |
English translations and international reception
Translated winners
The translation of Naoki Prize-winning works into English has played a significant role in introducing Japanese popular literature to international audiences, beginning with select post-war titles and accelerating in the 2000s through imprints like Vertical and Minotaur Books that specialized in genre fiction such as mysteries and historical narratives. Early efforts in the 1980s and 1990s focused on historical and literary fiction, with publishers like Kodansha International bringing forth works that highlighted Japan's cultural and wartime experiences. By 2025, approximately 15 Naoki Prize-winning novels had been translated, contributing to the global popularity of Japanese "junbungei" (middlebrow literature) and fostering cross-cultural appreciation for themes of human resilience, mystery, and social commentary.[27] Representative translated winners span genres and eras, often achieving notable impact through adaptations or sales success. For instance, Akiyuki Nosaka's Grave of the Fireflies (original 1967, 102nd Naoki Prize), translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori and published by Penguin Classics in September 2025, recounts the harrowing survival story of two siblings amid World War II bombings in Kobe, drawing from the author's own childhood experiences of loss and guilt. This semi-autobiographical novella gained international acclaim through its 1988 Studio Ghibli animated adaptation, which introduced its poignant anti-war message to global viewers, and the full English edition has further amplified Nosaka's critique of wartime devastation.[32][33] In the mystery genre, Keigo Higashino's The Devotion of Suspect X (original 2005, 134th Naoki Prize), translated by Alexander O. Smith and released by Minotaur Books in 2011, features a brilliant mathematician devising an elaborate alibi to cover a neighbor's crime, pitting intellect against Detective Galileo in a battle of wits. The novel's intricate plot and exploration of devotion and deception propelled it to bestseller status in Japan, selling over three million copies, and its English version received widespread praise for revitalizing the locked-room mystery tradition in the West.[34][35] Kyōko Nakajima's The Little House (original 2010, 143rd Naoki Prize), translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori and published by Darf Publishers in 2019, follows a young maid in 1930s Tokyo as she navigates family secrets, forbidden love, and societal constraints through a series of letters and diary entries discovered decades later. This intimate portrayal of women's lives across Japan's pre- and post-war eras earned acclaim for its emotional depth and was adapted into a 2014 film by director Yōji Yamada, enhancing its reach and underscoring the Naoki's role in elevating personal historical narratives.[36][37] Other influential translations include Asa Nonami's The Hunter (original 1996, 115th Naoki Prize), a gripping police procedural translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter and issued by Kodansha International in 2006, where detective Takako Otomichi pursues a serial killer in rural Japan, blending suspense with gender dynamics in law enforcement. Similarly, Jirō Asada's The Stationmaster (original 1997, 117th Naoki Prize), translated by Terry Gallagher and published by Viz Media in 2013, depicts a aging railway worker's quiet dignity amid Japan's modernization, resonating with themes of tradition and obsolescence. These works, among others from publishers like Dalkey Archive Press and Counterpoint, have collectively introduced Western readers to the Naoki's emphasis on accessible yet profound storytelling, with many achieving cult followings through film tie-ins and genre appeal.[27]Notable nominees in translation
Several notable Naoki Prize nominees have seen their works translated into English, offering international readers a glimpse into the high-quality popular fiction that the award recognizes, even if these authors did not ultimately win. These translations often highlight innovative storytelling in genres like mystery and literary fiction, expanding the prize's influence beyond Japan. While the number of such translations remains limited compared to winners, they demonstrate how nominations can boost an author's visibility abroad. The following table lists selected notable cases, focusing on the nominated works or closely associated titles translated by 2025:| Nomination Year | Author | Original Title | English Title | Translator | Publication Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Keigo Higashino | 秘密 (Himitsu) | Naoko | Kerim Yasar | 2004 |
| 1998 | Hideo Yokoyama | D県警捜査一課殺人プロファイル (D Kenkei Sōsa Ikka Satsujin Purofīru) | Prefecture D | Jonathan Lloyd-Davies | 2019 |
Organization and administration
Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature
The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature (日本文学振興会, Nihon Bungaku Shinkōkai) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing Japanese literature through the administration of prestigious literary awards. It was formally established on July 2, 1938, under the oversight of the Ministry of Education by writer and publisher Kikuchi Kan and associates, building on Kikuchi's earlier creation of the Naoki Prize and Akutagawa Prize in 1935 in collaboration with Bungeishunjū magazine.[40][8] In 2010, it transitioned to a public interest incorporated foundation (公益財団法人) certified by the Cabinet Office, enhancing its role in cultural promotion.[40] The organization's structure includes a board of directors composed primarily of figures from the publishing industry, with Naruyuki Iikubo serving as chairman.[41] Its headquarters are located at 3-23 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8008, within the Bungeishunjū Building, reflecting its close ties to the publishing sector. Funding for operations, including prize administration, derives from sponsorships by publishers such as Bungeishunjū and other contributions, supporting an annual budget allocated to literary initiatives as outlined in its business plans and reports.[40][42] In addition to overseeing the Naoki and Akutagawa Prizes, the society administers other awards such as the Kikuchi Kan Prize (established 1938, revived 1952), Ōya Sōichi Nonfiction Prize, and Matsumoto Seichō Prize, fostering diverse literary genres. Its activities extend to hosting award ceremonies and related events that highlight contemporary Japanese writing, while the prizes themselves contribute to international promotion by elevating winners' works for global translation and recognition. For the Naoki Prize specifically, the society manages the overall process, including coordinating nominations from publishers, facilitating selection committee deliberations, funding the award (1 million yen vice prize per recipient alongside a pocket watch as the main prize), and issuing official announcements biannually.[43][10][3] Since its inception, the society has evolved to support broader literary development, with post-war expansions in award categories reflecting growing cultural emphasis on literature amid Japan's recovery and modernization in the 1950s onward. Recent efforts, as of 2025, include maintaining digital accessibility for announcements and reports via its website, aligning with modern administrative practices.[42][44]Current selection committee members
The current selection committee for the Naoki Prize, as of November 2025, comprises nine prominent Japanese authors appointed by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature based on their past receipt of the award or equivalent literary recognition. These members serve staggered terms, typically lasting three to four years, to maintain institutional continuity while allowing periodic renewal; the society has increasingly emphasized gender balance, resulting in a committee with six women and three men. The committee convenes biannually to evaluate candidates for popular fiction, deliberating on aspects such as narrative innovation and cultural impact, as demonstrated in their July 2025 decision to withhold the award for the upper half due to no standout work among six nominees.[18][23][24] Key members include:- Jirō Asada (b. 1953), a veteran novelist known for historical fiction like Underground River, who joined the committee around 2015 and has contributed to selections emphasizing genre diversity in popular literature.
- Mitsuyo Kakuta (b. 1967), acclaimed for domestic dramas such as Woman on the Shore, a 2005 Naoki winner whose term began in 2020, bringing focus on contemporary women's experiences.
- Natsuhiko Kyōgoku (b. 1963), author of supernatural mysteries including the Mōryō no Hako series, appointed in 2019, noted for his commentary on the 2025 no-award decision citing evenly matched but unexceptional candidates.[14]
- Natsuo Kirino (b. 1951), feminist crime writer behind Out, a 1997 Naoki laureate serving since 2010, advocating for social issue-driven narratives in deliberations.
- Kaoru Takamura (b. 1955), crime novelist known for Remnants of a Flow, appointed around 2015, contributing insights on detective and legal thrillers.
- Mizuki Tsujimura (b. 1980), specialist in psychological thrillers like Lonely Castle in the Mirror, who joined in 2023 following her own award successes, enhancing youth-oriented perspectives.
- Mariko Hayashi (b. 1951), essayist and novelist of The Man Who Can't Be Moved, on the committee since 2018, known for injecting ethical debates into selections.
- Miyuki Miyabe (b. 1960), prolific mystery writer of All She Was Worth, serving since 2014 and often highlighting detective fiction's evolution.
- Honobu Yonezawa (b. 1959), creator of the Hyōka series, appointed in 2021, contributing expertise in light novels and young adult genres.