A Study on English Translation of Japanese Literature in the 1950s and 60s

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese literature
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Sakakibara Richi 早稲田大学, 国際教養学術院, 教授 (00313825)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Toeda Hirokazu 早稲田大学, 文学学術院, 教授 (40237053) ; Robert Cambell 東京大学, 総合文化研究科, 教授 (50210844) ; Shiono Kaori 早稲田大学, 文学学術院, 助教 (80647280)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 50年代60年代 / 日本文学 / 英語訳 / 国際情報交換 / 冷戦期

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Kawabata Yasunari’s winning of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968 was a symbolic event that Modern Japanese Literature became part of the World Literature. Needless to say, translation played a crucial role in this event. When we look at the process up to this event, however, we see twists and turns. During the occupation period, translation was used in GHQ censorship to control Japanese. In the 50s, translation of Japanese Literature increased dramatically to promote US Cold War Scheme. Our project made clear that translation occur within the complex negotiations of translators with the publishers and editors who had their own political and commercial agenda.

Free Research Field

戦後特に占領期における日本文学、文学理論、翻訳論