LONDON, Jul 04, 2025 (News On Japan) - Japanese author Akira Otani’s novel Baba Yaga’s Night has won the Dagger Award in the translated fiction category—marking the first time a Japanese writer has received the honor from what is widely regarded as the world’s top prize in crime and mystery literature.
The award ceremony, hosted by the UK’s Crime Writers' Association, took place in London on July 3rd. Otani’s novel, translated into English by Sam Bett, was announced the winner of the Dagger Award for translated crime fiction.
Baba Yaga’s Night follows the story of a woman named Yoriko Shindo, who thrives on violence, and her complex, unnamed relationship with the daughter of a yakuza boss she is assigned to protect. The novel blends high-paced action with themes such as female solidarity and misogyny, tackling gender issues head-on.
In an interview with JNN ahead of the award announcement, Otani said: "If you try to center women in any genre in Japan, it’s impossible to avoid misogyny. If you’re trying to depict reality, you have to face it. I think female readers, across cultures and borders, could probably relate to that shared experience."
Founded in 1955, the Dagger Awards are considered among the most prestigious accolades in global crime and mystery writing. While previous Japanese authors such as Hideo Yokoyama (Six Four), Keigo Higashino (The Devotion of Suspect X), and Kotaro Isaka (Maria Beetle) have been shortlisted, Otani is the first Japanese recipient.
Maxim Jakubowski, chair of the judging panel, praised the book’s originality: "It fused manga culture, yakuza cinema, Takeshi Kitano influences, and strong LGBTQ elements. The combination was highly distinctive."
Otani’s win also highlights the continued rise of Japanese women writers in global literary circles. This year’s shortlist also featured Asako Yuzuki’s BUTTER, which has sold more than 400,000 copies in the UK.
