The Cultural Affairs Agency has selected 34 modern Japanese novels to be translated into English, French and other languages to promote understanding of Japanese culture abroad, agency officials have said.
Among the 34 works are Atsushi Nakajima's "Sangetsuki," Yasushi Inoue's "Loulan," Kenji Miyazawa's poem collections and Naoya Shiga's "Anyakoro," known in English as "A Dark Night's Passing."
It is the second translation project of its kind. The first was in 2002, when the agency selected 27 Japanese novels.
The Japanese Literature Publishing and Promotion Center will choose the translators and publishers of the different versions.
The agency will pay for the translations and buy 2,000 volumes of each book to donate them to overseas universities and libraries.
Novelist Takashi Atoda was among the people who selected the 34 books.
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