Country of Focus: Japan

Akiko Beppu has worked as an editor for over 30 years. She has edited a wide range of children’s books, from baby books, picture books, middle grade to YA. The rights of some of these books have been sold in Asian countries. As an editor, she believes in reading everything that catches her eye, and buying, not borrowing, the books she wants to read.

Avery Fischer Udagawa translated the MG novel J-Boys: Kazuo’s World, Tokyo, 1965 by Shogo Oketani. Her work has appeared in Kyoto Journal, Literary Mama and Tomo: Friendship Through Fiction—An Anthology of Japan Teen Stories. She coordinates the SCBWI Japan Translation Group and is SCBWI International Translator Coordinator.

Cathy Hirano’s translations include Yumoto Kazumi’s The Friends, winner of the Mildred L. Batchelder Award in 1997, and Nahoko Uehashi’s Moribito I and II, winners of the Batchelder Award and the Batchelder Honor Award, respectively, in 2009–2010. Nahoko Uehashi was the winner of the 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Chihoko Tanaka joined the International Library of Children’s Literature in 2006. As the chief of the Children’s Services Section, she manages the browsing rooms for children and performs during Story Hours for Children and Nursery-Rhyme Hours for Toddlers.

Holly Thompson writes fiction and poetry for children, teens and adults and is the author of the verse novels Falling into the Dragon’s Mouth; The Language Inside; and Orchards and the forthcoming lyrical picture book Twilight Chant. Longtime resident of Japan, she teaches writing in Japan, the U.S., and places in between, and serves as Co-Regional Advisor of SCBWI Japan. 

Izumi Satou came across Bookstart during her visit to the UK in 1999 and got involved in the establishment of Bookstart Japan. She engaged in the creation of local schemes which work well in Japanese social context. She is in charge of the international PR project which aims to share Bookstart experience with those who deliver similar programmes around the world.

Kazuo Iwamura’s long-selling picture book series, the Family of Fourteen, has been loved and read by children around the world. In 1998, he opened the Iwamura Kazuo Ehon-no-Oka Picture Book Museum in Tochigi. His many awards and honors include the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters), which he received in 2014 from the French government.

Kiyomi Akita's major is in educational psychology. She is the former president of Japan Reading Association. She got the award of Science of Reading in 2014. She has been a council member of Bookstart Japan and a council member of the Characteristic Culture Promotion Organisation. She contributes to promote children’s book reading activities in Japan.

Kyoko Sakai started working at Doshinsha Publishing, a publisher targeting children readers, and was the editor of picture books, including The adventure in the closet and the The Fourteen forest mice series. In 1997 she becomes the president of the company. In 2001 she starts the International Kamishibai Association of Japan(IKAJA). Currently she is the chairman of Doshinsha Publishing and the representative of IKAJA.

Having grown up in Europe and America, Mariko Nagai has received the Pushcart Prizes both in poetry and fiction. Author of books for both children and adult, she is also a translator of Japanese modern poetry. She currently lives in Tokyo and is an Associate Professor of Temple University Japan Campus.

Michiko Matsukata is working as the curator planning and preparing exhibitions as well as in charge of the museum library in Chihiro Art Museum Azumino. The exhibitions she has curated include Yuri Norstein’s Picture Book Making, Korean Contemporary Picture Book Artists, Polish Picture Book Artists, Totto-chan’s square exhibition.

Dr. Miki Yamamoto is Assistant Professor of Art and Design at the University of Tsukuba. She is a manga artist, a picture book artist, and a researcher of wordless picture books. She is the writer and illustrator of manga How Are You, which was selected for the 19th Japan Media Arts Festival Jury Selection, and Sunny Sunny Ann, which received the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Creative Award.  

Mr. Tadahiko Motoyoshi joined the National Diet Library in 1986. He has been appointed Director General of the International Library of Children's Literature (ILCL) from April 2016, after working in various sections in its parent organization the National Diet Library. With a wide range of work experience, he is ready to head the ILCL in the firm belief that reading has a significant impact on personality development. 

Dr Murti Bunanta is a children’s literature specialist, researcher, children’s folklorist, and an international award-winning author of 50 books published in Indonesia, Canada, and the USA. Her books have been translated into several languages. She is the founder and president of Society for the Advancement of Children’s Literature and Indonesian Section of IBBY that pioneered children's reading in Indonesia. She is an advocate for reading quality children’s books, and serves as a member of the AFCC Board of Advisors. 

Naomi Kojima is an author and illustrator of children’s books. Born in Japan, Naomi spent her childhood years in the US. Her first picture books were published in New York, and now, also in Japan, France, and Sweden. Naomi lives in Tokyo.

Satoko Yamano is one of Japan’s top singers of Doyo (traditional Japanese children’s songs) and anime songs. She has recorded over 1,000 songs, including the opening theme for anime Doraemon. She has served as master of ceremonies and leading singer of a popular music program on the national educational television of Japan for many years.

Tetsu Shirai joined Kodansha Ltd., in 1969 and built his career. In 2000, he joined the Board of Year of Reading for Children and learned about the Bookstart programme introduced by Izumi Satou. He got involved in the establishment of Bookstart Japan and engaged in setting up a system to make the program sustainable with support from publishing industry.

Toshiki Shinzawa was a pre-school teacher before he started his career in music. He is a singer and songwriter, well known for his concerts, many CDs and songbooks. His popular All the Children of the World was selected for elementary school music textbooks in Japan, and has been covered by many artists. He is a lecturer at early education seminars, and a writer of children’s books.

Trevor Kew is a Canadian writer whose novels for children revolve mostly around soccer and ice hockey. Trevor resides in Tokyo, Japan, where he has lived since 2008. He is currently writing approximately six different books set in Japan, all of which he will finish one day.

The Vice Director of the Chihiro Art Museum (Azumino), Yuko Takesako is also the Secretary General of Chihiro Iwasaki Memorial Foundation. She has introduced and promoted the life and works of Chihiro Iwasaki as well as supported the picture book culture in Asia, Europe, and U.S.A. Her books include 100 Picture Books for Children and Parents Selected by the Chihiro Art Museum (co-author), Shigeru Hatsuyama.

Born in Tokyo, Yumiko Sakuma worked as an editor before becoming a freelance editor, translator, writer, and a professor of children’s literature. She has translated more than 200 children’s books into Japanese, and her work has received many awards including the Sankei Juvenile Literature Publishing Culture Award. She is also a researcher of African literature, and runs a project promoting African children’s books in Japan.