The Japan Society Review

This final issue of The Japan Society Review for 2025 turns its focus to the richness of contemporary Japanese fiction. From quiet psychological portraits to noir tinged thrillers, this selection of novels and short story collections reflects the diversity of voices and imaginative worlds shaping Japan’s literary present.

By Kawakami Mieko An epic running to nearly 600 pages in the Japanese original, it's full to the brim with the stuff of life, feeling like a straight shot of hard-edged impact. Review by Laurence Green

By Hirano Keiichiro There is nothing that will prepare you for the rollercoaster that is At the End of the Matinee.This isn’t just a love story but a testament to fate and how what is meant for you, will undoubtedly reach you. Review by Azmina Sohail

By Yoda Hiroko A wise and joyful journey through Japan's spiritual traditions, and how they can help bring us comfort and happiness today. Review by Laurence Green

By Matsuie Masashi A group of architects compete to design Tokyo’s new National Library of Modern Literature in a novel that elegantly brings together love, art, and life in the shadow of Mount Asama. Review by Tabitha Carver

By various authors Second volumen of thise anthology of short stories written by authors contemporaries of Japan's master of the macabre, Edogawa Ranpo, who kept a vast book collection in an old storehouse on the grounds of his property in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Review by Shehrazade Zafar-Arif

By Russell Jones This book offers a concise and accessible overview of Japan’s economic development from the late nineteenth century to the present, examining both its remarkable growth and subsequent challenges. Review by Sanae Inagaki

By Matsuda Aoko Bold, electrifying, and wickedly funny, Matsuda Aoko’s The Woman Dies slices with razor-sharp deftness through the everyday sexism woven into modern Japanese life. Review by Laurence Green

This review looks back at Ado’s concert at The O2 in London in 2025, reflecting on one of the most anticipated J‑pop live events of the year.

The meaning of Hyakkō is 100 makers. But more broadly it means many makers. There are slightly more than 100 makers showcased here, with around 2000 objects on display. Review by David Tonge