Translation Works
To Japanese
The 1st Selected Works
TITLE
No Reason for Murder
(Tenjo no ao)
AUTHOR
Translator
ENGLISH / Edward Putzar published
RUSSIAN / Tatiana Breslavets published
Originally Published by:
The Mainichi Newspaper (1990)
Shinchosha (1993) (pb)
KEY POINTS
  • A controversial book based on actual incidents, which has been repeatedly adapted for the cinema
  • A controversial work portraying the heart-to-heart interaction of the protagonist with a murderer, penned by a writer who supports abolishing the death penalty
SYNOPSIS
Can you speak to a serial killer and get through to him?
 
Yukiko Hata is in her garden tending some morning glories when Fujio Uno calls out to her. Neatly featured and with thick eyebrows, Fujio says that the blue-colored morning glories are beautiful and that he would like some seeds. Yukiko works at home as a Japanese dressmaker, sharing the house with her sister, who is busy working as an editor. After that, Fujio visits Yukiko from time to time and they get used to conversing.
Since becoming divorced, Fujio has been getting an allowance from his mother and spends his time idly at his parent's home. Each time his brother-in-law criticizes his lifestyle, he leaves the house in a huff and drives around in his car. He randomly accosts women, tells them he is a poet, and takes them to hotels. One day, a high school girl he takes to a hotel turns the tables, attempting to extort money by accusing him of raping an underage girl. So he murders her. Subsequently, he resorts to violence any time he is dissatisfied with a woman he has picked up, and he murders such women impulsively, time after time. After each murder, he comes to see Yukiko. This is because Yukiko knows nothing of the murders and accepts him for who he is, behaving naturally around him. Her modest demeanor has the effect of calming and reassuring him. After murdering five women, Fujio next goes so far as to assault a fifth grade schoolboy. Eventually, police investigations catch up with Fujio.
After Fujio is arrested, he writes letters to Yukiko from jail and Yukiko hires a lawyer for him. Though her sister and society at large are critical of her attitude of apparently supporting a serial killer, Yukiko continues her correspondence with Fujio. Then, one day, she learns from television reports that Fujio has been executed.
 
GENRE: Crime fiction
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