Wang Chen-hsu, aka Akira Higashiyama, earned the recognition for “Ryu,” a coming-of-age story based on his grandfather’s experiences during the communist uprising in mainland China. It was hailed by the jury as one of the best winning titles in the last 20 years.
Born 1968 in Taipei City, Wang moved to Japan at five with his father Wang Xiao-lian, a renowned scholar in Chinese mythology. He published his first book “Turd on the Run” in 2002.
“Identity crisis is a recurring theme in my novels as well as my life,” Wang said. “I am always an outsider, no stranger to the issue of belonging, and the same can be said of the characters in my stories.
“But I have made peace with the search for identity, for home is where the family is.”
Wang remains an ROC national and teaches Mandarin at various tertiary institutions in Fukuoka. He is a household name in Japan with 15 acclaimed novels under his belt, spanning the fantasy, science-fiction and suspense genres, in addition to his screenplay for the popular anime feature film “Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison.”
The Naoki Prize was founded by Japanese writer Kikuchi Kan in 1935 in recognition of outstanding works of popular literature. Along with the Akutagawa Prize, it is one of the most sought-after literary awards in Japan.
Previous winners from Taiwan were Kyu Ei-kan in 1955 for “Hong Kong” and Chin Shun-shin in 1968 for “Sapphire Shishi Incense Burner.” (YHC-JSM)
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