Alexander Dolin graduated from the Moscow State University (College of Oriental Languages) in 1971. He started his academic career at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, and received his PhD degree in Japanese Literature there. He worked for twelve years as a Professor of Comparative Literature at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. In 2004 he was invited to Akita International University as Professor of Japanese Literature and Comparative Culture. He worked on several comprehensive monographs on Japanese literature and culture, including History of New Japanese Poetry in 4 volumes, and a number of books on Russian literature, culture and society, issued in Russian, German, English and Japanese. He has also translated over 25 books, including 3 novels translated for JLPP: The 47 Ronin from Ako, A Supermarket and The Laughing Wolf.