Finding Japanese Authors that Croatian Audiences Will Embrace
Nermina Husković
Editor-in-chief, Hena com
New Perspectives on Challenges Faced by Croatian Publishers
Hena com, a Croatian publishing house, has published literary works by notable and award-winning authors from both Croatia and abroad. Participating in the Japan Foundation’s latest program (Central and Eastern European Editors’ Visit) was Nermina Husković, who has been an editor of foreign fiction there for several years, working extensively on novels by authors from South Korea and other Asian countries.
To date, the only Japanese novel that Hena com has published is Ogawa Yoko’s Hakase no aishita sūshiki (The Housekeeper and the Professor). Husković saw the potential for a deeper connection with Japan and signed up for the Support Program, saying she was “eager to engage with publishers and agents to gain insights into authors and titles from Japan.”
Croatian edition of The Housekeeper and the Professor by Ogawa Yoko, published by Hena com
“We still face numerous problems, such as a lack of translators for certain languages, the predominance of Anglo-Saxon literature in our market, small initial print runs, and underdeveloped reading habits among the Croatian audience,” Husković explains. “This program gave me so many wonderful insights into Japan’s publishers, booksellers, translators, authors, institutions, and the Japanese publishing world as a whole—a culture that was fascinating to encounter.”
The program also provided Husković with opportunities to listen to a lecture by University of Tokyo associate professor Abe Ken’ichi, a specialist in central and eastern European literature who spoke about his own experiences publishing translations of Czech literature in Japan. As someone involved in the publishing of so-called small literature, Husković says the lecture offered “valuable insight into translating and publishing from languages with relatively low numbers of speakers.” Also memorable, she notes, was her visit to the Waseda International House of Literature (the Haruki Murakami Library), where she had engaging discussions with professor David Karashima and author Ono Masatsugu and took in the library’s extensive collection of translations of Murakami’s works. The eye-opening encounters kept coming: on visits to Japanese publishers, she was surprised to learn that they deal in both books and magazines—something that does not happen in Croatia.
Busy, Inspiring Visits to Tokyo and Kyoto
For Husković, the entire program was something to cherish. Her eyes light up as she talks about the program’s tours of Tokyo and Kyoto. “I’m glad we got to see the Imperial Palace, even if it was just through the bus window. Fulfilling my wish to visit and ascend Tokyo Skytree was another highlight. The tower is truly impressive, and the view of the entire Tokyo skyline is spectacular,” she says.
Husković was thrilled to travel to Kyoto via the Shinkansen. “That was a real attraction for me, coming from a country where railway transportation is somewhat neglected.” Husković’s time in Kyoto also included her first Japanese tea ceremony. “It was incredible to experience a piece of ancient Japanese tradition,” she says, “one where attention is paid to every detail and the spirit of hospitality runs through everything. It was lovely to tour the beautiful and tranquil environment of Kinkakuji, too.”
Husković at Tokyo Skytree
Finding Japanese Works that Resonate with Croatian Audiences
Hena com is currently interested in expanding its catalog to enrich its collection of Asian literature. Before the program began, the publishing house had already signed a contract to publish a translation of Sukegawa Durian’s An (Sweet Bean Paste). In Japan, Husković had the chance to meet with the agent face-to-face, one of many meaningful and productive connections she made with Japanese publishers and agents. “At these meetings,” she says, “we were introduced to the publishers’ programs, along with their lists of authors and titles that might be of interest to foreign readers.” Hoping to identify Japanese authors that would fit well with the Croatian market and Hena com’s lineup, Husković is poring over the materials she received while in Japan for potential avenues to explore.
“There is interest in Japanese literature in Croatia; books by Japanese authors are gladly read because Croatian readers are interested in that part of the world,” Husković explains. “Books by Japanese authors offer stories through which the culture, tradition, and history of Japan can be learned. Contemporary novels reflect the social changes and pressures of the modern age experienced by individuals, families, and the wider community, and that has universal significance. I’m excited to bring Japanese literature to an even broader audience.”
At a networking and social event with Japanese publishers
