This year the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature awarded Japan’s highest literary honor the Naoki Prize to Joh Sasaki for his latest book Asking the Ruin (Haikyo ni Kou). The author of Zero Over Berlin now joins an all-star cast of Vertical authors—Keigo Higashino, Kaori Ekuni, Hideo Okuda, Mariko Koike, Natsuhiko Kyogoku, Arimasa Osawa, Asa Nonami—to be recognized as one of the best scribes in Japan today.

Kenzo Kitakata was awarded the 13th Japan Prize for Mystery Literature. The award established by Japanese publisher Koubunsha honors Kitakata’s contributions to the development of mystery fiction. Selected by critics, fellow writers, and the press, Kitakata continues to be placed in high regard within the world of genre fiction.

On a more somber note, last December the Science Fiction Writers of Japan paid tribute to a legend in the field of fantasy and science-fiction when they honored the late Kaoru Kurimoto’s Guin Saga with the Japan SF Special Prize at the 2009 Japanese Science Fiction Awards. Kurimoto’s magnum opus has been a staple of fantasy fiction since the SF premiered in 1980 and has inspired a generation of authors and artists in the field worldwide with her larger-than-life characters and inspired narratives.

So while the rest of the world prepares for the Oscars to close out the award season, Vertical is polishing up its bronzes and making space for more awards to come.

Joh Sasaki, military-thriller afficionado and author of Zero Over Berlin will be appearing at the Seattle Kinokuniya on March 12th from 2pm to 3pm, and at the Mechanics Institute Library on March 15th from 5:30pm, hosted by the Northern California Japan Society.

Joh Sasaki, author of Zero Over Berlin and Vertical’s resident military history aficionado comes stateside to talk about his work through the Japan Foundation’s new program to introduce Japanese authors. Tentatively, Sasaki’s scheduled appearances are as follows:

1. Seattle Kinokuniya
March 12, Saturday 2:00pm.
525 S. Weller St., Seattle WA 98104, 206-587-2477

2. Mechanics Institute Library
March 15, Tuesday 6:00pm.
57 Post St., San Francisco CA 94104, 415-393-0114

3. Los Angeles appearance TBA.

Get ready to meet him by purchasing the book and checking out our reading guide!

Joh Sasaki presents; click to see more photos

Joh Sasaki spoke to several crowds of curious readers about the first English release of Zero Over Berlin. Simultaneous to his tour was a signed book promotion in mystery stores nationwide. Vertical has already sent out close to one hundred signed copies of Zero Over Berlin. Check out the photos of our favorite military thriller writer.

“A major Japanese talent in detective and thriller fiction appears in English with this excellent, compact WWII tale” —Publishers Weekly

“Sasaki layers meticulous detail in [Zero Over Berlin], inviting readers into his world.” —Asahi Shimbun

“Sasaki has crafted a high quality thriller based on a conceit of nonfiction that works—that the Zero fighter actually made it to Berlin.”—Mainichi Shimbun

“[Zero Over Berlin] is adventure fiction that sheds new light on German-Japanese relations on the eve of the war.”—Tokyo Shimbun

Don’t miss Joh Sasaki’s New York City appearances!
Sasaki will be part of a symposium on the two topics of 1) The Middle East, Then and Now, and 2) Japanese Entertainment in the U.S. Fellow discussants include Seiichi Miyake, bureau chief of the Americas for Nikkei Shimbun and Ioannis Mentzas, editorial director of Vertical. This event is taking place at Nippon Club on July 14, 2004 at 6:30 pm (free admission, W. 57th between 6th and 7th). He will also be speaking and signing at Kinokuniya Bookstore at Rockefeller Center on July 16, 2004 at 6:00 pm. See you there!
(All events will be conducted in Japanese only.)

Zero Over Berlin is an adventure tale of World War II as it could have happened. The title plane, a Type Zero Fighter, piloted by a rogue Japanese soldier, makes its way from East Asia on a secret assignment into the heart of Nazi Germany. This phenomenally popular book makes its way to the US along with author Joh Sasaki, who will be signing books throughout the NYC area. Keep checking our website for more details.