Photo/Illutration Haruki Murakami gives a speech as he accepts the Lattes Grinzane Literary Prize during a ceremony at the Fondazione Bottari Lattes in Alba, Italy, on Oct. 11, 2019. ((C) Fondazione Bottari Lattes-Murialdo)

When I travel to a country where I don't speak the language, I always seek out a bookstore that might have a section of English translations I can manage to understand.

When I ask the store clerk, "Do you have any recommended English translations of local authors' works?" they’re usually kind enough to offer suggestions.

On one occasion, a store clerk unexpectedly handed me a thick memoir by a politician, which threw me off guard. But when I do find a recommended book that suits my taste, it feels like I've stumbled upon a hidden gem.

I also look for works by Japanese authors that have been translated into the local language, and the landscape in this regard has changed dramatically over the past 40 or so years.

In the past, Japanese authors available in translation were primarily limited to Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), Yasunari Kawabata (1899-1972) and Junichiro Tanizaki (1886-1965). Today, however, novels by Haruki Murakami, Banana Yoshimoto and a wider array of contemporary Japanese writers are available in multiple languages.

In recent years, translations of Japanese-language books spanning a much broader range of genres and authors have become increasingly accessible.

As my search for translations of Japanese books extends beyond foreign bookstores, I also turn to international book reviews and explore literary award nominees.

Recently, the shortlist for Britain’s prestigious International Booker Prize was announced, and Hiromi Kawakami's novel “Under the Eye of the Big Bird” was among the six books selected.

This award, which is part of the globally renowned Booker Prize, is presented annually to the best work of fiction from around the world that has been translated into English and published in Britain or Ireland. It is awarded to both the author and the translator.

The 2025 International Booker Prize was awarded to “Heart Lamp,” a short story collection by Indian author Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada. This marks the first time a work originally written in Kannada, a language spoken by an estimated 65 million people in southern India, has won the award.

In the world of translation, works translated from English into other languages far outnumber translations from other languages into English. However, if the latter category grows and expands, we may begin to see more works originally written in languages other than English gaining recognition.

The Japanese author I have encountered most frequently on foreign bookshelves is Haruki Murakami, whose works have been translated into more than 50 languages.

With the help of talented translators, I hope Japanese literature will continue to be translated into even more languages, further extending its global reach.

—The Asahi Shimbun, May 23

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.