Miri Yu (1968-), a Korean citizen, dropped out of high school to join the theater troupe Tokyo Kid Brothers. In 1988 she formed the troupe "Seishin Gogatsuto" and made her debut as a playwright in 1993 with the play Mizu no naka no tomo e (To My Friend in Water). She published her first novel, Ishi ni oyogu sakana (Fish Swimming among Boulders) in 1994. Since 1996 she has devoted herself primarily to writing novels. In 1997 she won the Akutagawa Prize for Kazoku shinema (Family Cinema). She has also written the bestselling memoir Inochi (Life) and other works drawing heavily on her own life experiences.

1996 Noma Literary Prize for New Writers, and Izumi Kyoka Prize, for Full House

1997 Akutagawa Prize, for Kazoku Shinema (Family Cinema)

1999 Kiyama Shohei Prize, for Gold Rush

2001 Editors' Choice Magazine Journalism Prize for Best Book, for Inochi (Life)