IN-PERSON EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: The Traitor by Kobo Abe

Date
Monday 12 October 2026
Time
7.00pm

Venue
The Japan Society
13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace
London NW1 4QP

Booking Details
Free for members of The Japan Society

Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon and Waterstones (translated by Mark Gibeau)
Japanese version available here

Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities are made possible thanks to the support of its members. If you are planning to attend this event and are not a member (as an individual or through your employer), please consider becoming a member or making a donation if you can - the recommended donation is £5. Thank you!

The Traitor follows a man drawn into a shadowy political conspiracy after agreeing to inform on others within an oppressive, ambiguous system. As surveillance, interrogation, and paranoia intensify, loyalty becomes unstable and personal identity begins to fracture. The novel offers a bleak meditation on betrayal, power, and moral uncertainty, revealing how individuals are compromised by political control and pervasive fear.

Kobo Abe (1924–1993) was a Japanese novelist, playwright, and poet known for his surreal, experimental fiction and philosophical exploration of modern alienation. Influenced by existentialism and the avant‑garde, his work often portrays individuals trapped in oppressive systems, unstable identities, or absurd bureaucratic worlds. His best‑known novels include The Woman in the Dunes, The Face of Another, and The Box Man. Abe also collaborated extensively with director Hiroshi Teshigahara, contributing to landmark film adaptations of his work.

If you have any questions, please call The Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk.

Booking Info

• You should receive an automated email from The Japan Society to let you know that your booking is confirmed.
  
  
• If you don't receive any confirmation emails or links, please check your spam folder or email events@japansociety.org.uk.
  
  
• If you are not a member of The Japan Society (as an individual or through your employer), please consider becoming a member or making a donation if you can - the recommended donation is £5.