Seven Translators of Japanese Literature from Turkey to Visit Japan in November 2024

The Japan Foundation is pleased to welcome to Tokyo seven early- to mid-career professionals whose work centers on literary translation from Japanese to Turkish. The group will visit Japan for 13 days from November 4 to 16 as part of a JF initiative commemorating the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

While the number of works by Japanese authors translated into Turkish grew in number from the late 1960s onward, those efforts typically drew on earlier translations into English, French, or German. Direct translations into Turkish from the original Japanese have happily been on the rise over the past two decades and JF is delighted to extend our support to professionals whose work will continue to move the field of Japanese to Turkish translation forward in the years ahead.

Our seven guests will attend lectures by leading scholars of Japanese literature and translation, meet with Japanese and Japan-based authors, and visit a number of literary archives and collections. An overnight excursion themed on literature is also planned. Participants will have the opportunity to gain specialized knowledge about the publishing and literary translation scenes in Japan while enhancing their knowledge of Japanese literature. They will be able to network with experts and fellow counterparts in the field, establishing connections that should serve them well as they continue to pursue their careers in translation.

The Japan Foundation is pleased to contribute in this way so that a greater variety of works by Japanese writers can reach a wider audience of Turkish readers in high-quality translations rendered directly from the source.

The names of our Turkish guests and their planned itinerary appear below.