original title:
Interview: Looking forward to science fiction works promoting cultural exchanges between Japan and China——Interview with Tachihara Toya, translator of the Japanese version of “The Three-Body Problem”
Xinhua News Agency reporter Cheng Jingyue Chenxing
Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, January 5th
Toya Tachihara, producer and translator of the Japanese version of the “Three-Body” series of novels by Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin, said recently that more projects related to Chinese science fiction works will be promoted in Japan in 2023. Cultural exchange and understanding.
As a Japanese science fiction writer, Toya Tachihara has devoted himself to translating and introducing Chinese science fiction works to Japan. For her outstanding contribution to promoting the “Three-Body Problem” series to the world, she, the publishing team of the Japanese version of the “Three-Body Problem” series and other translators won the “Star Bridge Award” at the 13th Chinese Science Fiction Nebula Awards last month. This is the first award established to encourage science fiction writers who are committed to “going overseas” of Chinese science fiction literature.
“As a fan of science fiction, I am honored to receive such a high evaluation.” Toya Tachihara said in a written interview with a reporter from Xinhua News Agency that her role is to promote Chinese science fiction works in Japan and promote Japanese science fiction in China. work.
The Japanese version of the “Three-Body” series of novels was officially launched on July 4, 2019, and has since been reprinted, forming a craze and becoming popular in Japan.
Regarding the success of “Three-Body Problem” in the Japanese market, Toya Tachihara believes that “Three-Body Problem” is both Chinese and global. It not only has a solid description of Chinese history, culture, and scenery, but also has excellent science fiction settings. beyond the reach of science fiction fans. “It’s interesting that people who didn’t read science fiction before are starting to read it, especially a lot of business people who have ties to Greater China.”
In addition to supervising and translating “The Three-Body Problem” and other writers’ works, Tachihara Toya also selected and edited “The Ladder of Time: A Selection of Modern Chinese Science Fiction Masterpieces”, aiming to give Japanese readers a quick and comprehensive understanding of Chinese science fiction works. She revealed that she is planning the second anthology “Universe Bookstore”, and plans to publish “Red Ocean” by Chinese science fiction writer Han Song in Japan, launch a plan to learn Chinese through Chinese science fiction, and publish more short stories.
Due to his outstanding achievements in translating and introducing Chinese science fiction works, Toya Tachihara won the Special Award of the 41st Japan Science Fiction Awards in 2021. Liu Cixin said in the congratulatory video that Tachihara Toya has built a bridge between Chinese and Japanese science fiction literature with his extensive and profound understanding of Chinese culture and Chinese science fiction.
Tachihara Touya was born in Osaka. He liked “Water Margin” in elementary school, and became fascinated by Jin Yong and Gu Long’s martial arts novels in college. When he was looking for other interesting Chinese books, he came into contact with and fell in love with Chinese science fiction works. She believes that compared with Japanese science fiction works, Chinese works are more subtle and suggestive, with deeper philosophical and historical elements.
Talking about the impression of Japanese and Chinese science fiction fans, Tachihara Toya said that Chinese science fiction fans are more energetic young people. The common point of Japanese and Chinese science fiction fans is their love for science fiction, and the difference lies in their international vision. “Japan has not yet developed an international character like China, and I envy China very much.”
In 2023, Chengdu, China will host the 81st World Science Fiction Convention. Tachihara Toya is looking forward to participating in this sci-fi event, and hopes to increase exchanges between Japan and China by co-publishing books and deepening exchanges of sci-fi works.