The Winners of the 2000 Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Translation Award

The prize for the best classical literary translation was awarded to:
 

Professor Roger K. Thomas

For his translation of A Tale of False Fortunes (Namamiko Monogatari) by Fumiko Enchi
Publisher: University of Hawai’i Press

Professor Thomas is an Associate Professor at Illinois State University, where he teaches Japanese language and culture.  He received his Ph.D. in 1991 at Indiana University.  His research and publications have focused primarily on poetry and poetics of the Edo period, but he has an active interest in modern fiction as well.  Although Enchi Fumiko is a twentieth-century novelist, A Tale of False Fortunes is distinguished by its long passages in archaic Heian-period prose style.  For this reason, Professor Thomas’ translation was considered eligible for the award in the category of classical literature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The prize for the best translation of a modern work of literature was awarded to:
 

Ms. Meredith McKinney

For her translation of Ravine and Other Stories (Tani, etc.) by Yoshikichi Furui
Publisher: Stone Bridge Press

Ms. McKinney is a freelance translator and part-time lecturer in Japanese and Asian Literature at Australian National University.  Her other published translations include, The Flame Tree/Aogiri no Uta (translations of the poetry of Judith Wright, with introduction, co-translated with Sakai Nobuo); Cooloola no Tasogare (translations of the poetry of Judith Wright, with introduction, co-translated with Sakai Nobuo); and The Tale of Saigyô (translation with introduction and notes).   She is currently completing a Doctorate in Asian Studies (subject of research: A Study of The Tale of Saigyô) at Australian National University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reception and Awards Ceremony for the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prizes for the Translation of Japanese Literature

 
Tuesday, May 1, 2001
Low Rotunda, Low Memorial Library, Columbia University

The ceremony honored the winners of the 1999 and 2000 Translation Prizes:
 
1999 Classical Japanese Literature
Mr. Hiroaki Sato - Breeze Through Bamboo by Saiko Ema (Columbia University Press)
Modern Japanese Literature
Professor Jay Rubin - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (Nejimaki-dori Kuronikuru) by Haruki Murakami (Knopf)
2000 Classical Japanese Literature
Professor Roger K. Thomas - A Tale of False Fortunes (Namamiko Monogatari) by Fumiko Enchi (University of Hawaii Press)
Modern Japanese Literature
Professor Meredith McKinney - Ravine and Other Stories (Tani, etc.) by Yoshikichi Furui (Stone Bridge Press)


Mr. Hiroaki Sato was able to attend the May 1st ceremony to accept his award.


Presented by the Donald Keene Center of Japanese Culture, with the support of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission

 
Hiroaki Sato accepts his award and speaks about his work as a translator
 
Nancy and Hiroaki Sato with Dr. Amy Heinrich of the Donald Keene Center
 
Professor Carol Gluck and Hiroaki Sato at the reception following the ceremony

 

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