Kōtarō Isaka
Life and career. Isaka was born in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from the law faculty of Tohoku University, he worked as a system engineer. In 2000, Isaka won the Shincho Mystery Club Prize for his debut novel "Ōdyubon no Inori", after which he became a full-time writer. In 2002, Isaka's novel "Lush Life" gained much critical acclaim, but it was his Naoki Prize-nominated work "Jūryoku Piero" (2003) that brought him popular success. His following work "Ahiru to Kamo no Koin Rokkā" won the 25th Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers. "Jūryoku Piero"(2003 ), "Children"(2004), "Grasshopper"(2004), "Shinigami no Seido"(2005) and "Sabaku"(2006) were all nominated for the Naoki Prize. Isaka was the only author in Japan to be nominated for the Hon'ya Taishō in each of the award's first four years, finally winning in 2008 with "Remote Control" (original Japanese title: "Golden Slumber"). The same work also won the 21st Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize. Isaka's books are published in Chinese, French, Korean, Taiwanese, Thai, English, Italian, Russian and Deutsch. His novel "Bullet Train" (original Japanese title: "Maria Beetle") is soon to be a major film starring Brad Pitt.