HungaryBalázs Éva
Geopen Könyvkiadó

Balázs was among the Central and Eastern European editors who visited Japan in February 2024. The first event in the program (Central and Eastern European Editors’ Visit) was a lecture on Japanese literature, which she found fascinating.

“The presentation by Abe Ken’ichi, a University of Tokyo associate professor who also translates Czech authors, was extremely thought-provoking. One of the hardest parts about publishing foreign literature is choosing the right works. You can’t simply pick books that have sold well in the Japanese book market. Dr. Abe drew attention to how the selection process has also to do with paratexts, like the cover and preface of a book, as well as prosaic, practical aspects such as the definition of the target group, the timing of publication, and promotion—not to mention grants for literary translations. I found his concise summary of successful, recognized contemporary authors who have been awarded domestic and international awards useful, as well as his remarks on the importance of awards in the selection process.”

Balázs gave high marks to the visits made to the Waseda International House of Literature (the Haruki Murakami Library), the Library of the Japan Foundation, and the Kyoto International Manga Museum as well, stating they were “good and colorful experiences where we could see interesting and important publications.”

And she left us with some ideas for potential improvements in future programs. “Ideally, I would allow more time for informal exchanges of ideas with people at Japanese publishers,” she shared. “I wanted more time to get information on the copyright representation of Japanese books.”

While Balázs says that it may be some time before Geopen releases its next translation of a Japanese book in Hungary, she looks forward to helping fresh literary voices make their way there from Japan.

“To enhance the presence of Japanese works in the Hungarian market, we want to select one or two Japanese literary authors,” she says. “I asked for lists of possible names from the publishers I met through the program. I’m hoping to find new Japanese authors that we can introduce to Hungarian readers, and I’m confident I’ll be able to.” One title that caught Balázs’ attention during her time in Japan was Kawakami Mieko’s Natsu monogatari [Breasts and Eggs].

Looking back on her experience, Balázs says that talking to smaller publishers and viewing their offers was undoubtedly the most instructive and interactive part of the program. “It is through these encounters that foreign editors and Japanese editors can make direct contact and develop personal relationships, thanks to which Japanese books can reach even more countries around the world,” she offers.

Balázs considers the community aspect of the program a vital catalyst for future endeavors. “The participants from publishing houses in central and eastern Europe benefitted from the opportunities to meet each other,” she says, “and that sense of connection could be extremely helpful in giving Japanese authors a wider audience across the entire region.”