Prominent Japanese Author Aiko Sato Dies at 102

Tokyo, May 15 (Jiji Press)–Japanese prize-winning author Aiko Sato, also known as a renowned essayist, died of old age in Tokyo on April 29. She was 102. Her father, Koroku Sato, was also a writer, while her older brother, Hachiro Sato, was a poet. Influenced by her father’s background, Aiko, a native of the western Japan city of Osaka, joined the literary magazine “Bungei Shuto” in 1950. She made her debut with “Aoi Kajitsu,” which was published in the magazine, but faced challenges before her first book, “Aiko,” was released in 1959. In 1963-64, two of her novels–“Sokuratesu no Tsuma” and “Futari no Onna”–were nominated for the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, while another novel, “Kano Taii Fujin,” was nominated for the Naoki Prize, establishing her literary reputation. With her novel “Tatakaisunde Hi ga Kurete,” she humorously depicted her experience of being forced to write novels following the bankruptcy of her husband’s company, receiving the Naoki Prize in 1969. In 2000, she won the Kikuchi Kan Prize for her epic novel “Ketsumyaku,” which took 12 years to complete and portrayed the Sato family’s struggles with desire and passion. She was also recognized as a master essayist, with her candid reflections on life resonating with many readers. Her essay “Kyu Ju Sai. Nani ga Medetai” was released in 2016 and became a bestseller. In 2017, she was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, a prestigious national honor in Japan. In recent years, she had dementia and lived in an elderly care facility. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]