Translation Works
To Japanese
AUTHOR
Shohei Ooka
 
Shohei Ooka (1909-1988) was born in Tokyo. After studying French language and literature at Kyoto University, he worked at several companies including Kawasaki Heavy Industries. In 1944, he was called to duty on Mindoro, the Philippines. In the following year, he was captured by the American Army and sent to the prison camp in Leyte. Later, he wrote his experiences as a captive in Furyoki (Taken Captiv), which brought him the 1st Yokomitsu Riichi prize in 1949. This novel is recognized as a masterpiece of Japanese anti-war literature, along with his other novels Nobi (Fires on the Plain), Hanakage (The Shade of Blossoms), and Leyte Senki (The Battle of Leyte Gulf).
AWARDS
1948 Yokomitsu Riichi Prize, for Furyoki (Taken Captive)
1951 Yomiuri Literary Prize, for Nobi (Fires on the Plain)
1961 Mainichi Publishing Culture Prize and Shinchosha Literary Prize, for Hanakage (The Shade of Blossoms)
1971 Mainichi Art Prize, for Leyte Senki (The Battle of Leyte Gulf)
1974 Noma Literary Prize, for Nakahara Chuya
1978 Mystery Writers of Japan Prize, for Jiken (The Incident)
1988 Yomiuri Literary Prize, for Shosetsuka Natsume Soseki (Novelist, Natsume Soseki)
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