The Masterpieces of Australian Contemporary Literature Series was established by Gendai Kikakushitsu Publishing in 2012. With the support of the Australia-Japan Foundation, the program aims to increase the recognition of contemporary Australian literature by translating and publishing Australian novels in Japan. Not only showcasing the excellence of Australian literature, the series looks to reveal 'Contemporary Australia' and share with the Japanese audience the diversity of its culture and society. Eight books have been published, with Alexis Wright's 'Odyssey of the Horizon' as the final book of the series.
Odyssey of the Horizon by Alexis Wright
May 2023 -
More information in Japanese
"Questions of Travel" by Michelle de Krestser
January 2022-
More information in Japanese
'This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial by Helen Garner 
November 2018-
On the evening of 4 September 2005, Father’s Day, Robert Farquharson, a separated husband, was driving his three sons home to their mother, Cindy, when his car left the road and plunged into a dam. All three boys drowned, but Robert survived. Was this an act of revenge or a tragic accident? She followed this controversial court case closely on its protracted course until the final verdict. She presents the theatre of the courtroom with its actors and audience, all gathered for the purpose of bearing witness to the truth, players in the extraordinary and unpredictable drama of the quest for justice. This will be the first non-fiction novel to be introduced in the Masterpieces of Australian Contemporary Literature Series.
This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial by Helen Garner Book Launch
-What does This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial tell us? –
Australian and Japanese Perspectives on the non-fiction novel which covers the murder trial of a man accused of the death of his three children
Date: Thursday, 1 November 2018
Time: 19:00 – 21:30 (Entry from 18:30)
Venue: Hillside Banquet, Daikanyama, Hillside Terrace C, 29-18 Saragaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Fee: 3000 yen (Includes book cost)
*Consecutive Interpreting provided.
Part 1: Panel Session
Greeting: Mr Bassim Blazey, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy, Tokyo
Speech: ‘This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial’ by Helen Garner (provisional)
Discussion: Kyoko Nakajima and Helen Garner
Moderator: Prof Megumi Kato, Meisei University (Translator of This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial)
Part 2: Reception Party
Further details of the event can be found here (Japanese only)
'That Deadman Dance' by Kim Scott
25 May 2017-
'That Deadman Dance' is by Western Australian author Kim Scott, and has won the Miles Franklin Literary Award and Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2011. The book explores the contact between the Aboriginal Noongar people and the European settlers.
Australia-Japan Writer's Forum - Book Launch for "That Deadman Dance" with Author Kim Scott
14 October 2017
The Japanese translation of “That Deadman Dance” by Kim Scott was released in May 2017 as the fifth book of the Masterpieces of Australian Contemporary Literature Series. Kim Scott is the first Indigenous Australian to win Australia’s most prestigious literary award, the Miles Franklin Literary Award, in 1999 with his novel, “Benang”, and again with “That Deadman Dance” in 2010.
To celebrate the launch of his book, Gendaikikakushitsu publishing and The Japan P.E.N.Club will host an 'Australia-Japan Writer's Forum' - Kim Scott will speak about his book and his work indigenous communities. Two prominent Japanese writers, Ms Akiko Shimoju and Mr Masaaki Nishiki will then join Kim Scott and talk about the Australian culture and literature, and the role literature plays in multicultural societies.
Date/Time: Saturday 14 October 19:00-21:00
Admission: 500yen, (Consecutive Interpreting)
Venue: Tokyo Women's Plaza Hall (5-53-67 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo 150-0001)
Registration: Please email your name and any accompanying guest's name to [email protected] with the Subject: Australia-Japan Writer's Forum Registration. *Please inform the organiser if you need English headphones.
More information (Japanese only)
'The Secret River' by Kate Grenville
31 December 2015 -
'The Secret River' has been nominated for the Man Booker Prize (2006) and has won many awards including the Commonwealth Writers Prize (2006). It is one of Australia's best-sellers introducing a family arriving in Australia in the early 19th Century and their encounter with the Aboriginal people.
4 March 2016
Book Launch Event
Author Kate Grenville will be a guest speaker at the book launch event along with Ms Yukiko Konosu, a well-known translator of foreign literature moderated by the translator of this book Ms Tomoko Ichitani.
'The Slap' by Christos Tsiolkas
25 December 2014 -
A book launch event for the Japanese version of "The Slap" was held on 10 January as author, Christos Tsiolkas visited Japan on this occasion. He gave a talk on the background of the book and the multiculturalism in Australia. Mr Tsiolkas also took part in a talk and symposium at Meiji Gakuin University and Ritsumeikan University.
9 January 2015
The Japan P.E.N. Club talk by Christos Tsiolkas and Masaaki Nishiki More
10 January 2015
Book Launch Event More
12 January 2015
Ritsumeikan University Symposium More
'Breath' by Tim Winton
20 December 2013 -
One of the most popular Australian contemporary writers, Tim Winton’s ‘Breath’ is available in Japanese as the second book of the Masterpieces of Contemporary Australian Literature Series.
An international symposium about Australian literature was held in Daikanyama, Tokyo on 29 January 2014 as the book launch of the Japanese version of "Breath". Mr. Natsuki Ikezawa, a famous Japanese writer, talked with Prof. Kate Darian-Smith, University of Melbourne about “Breath” and other Australian novels. Mr Ikezawa commented on the high quality Austalian literature has to offer.
'Remembering Babylon' by David Malouf
Starting 29 February 2012
Remembering Babylon is the first of a series of Australian contemporary novels to be translated and published in Japan by Gendai Kikakushitsu Publishing.
Remembering Babylon has won a number of international awards, including the inaugural International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award - one of the most lucrative literary prizes in the world - the Prix Baudelaire, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Best Novel), and was shortlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize for Fiction and the Miles Franklin Literary Award.
More(Japanese)
ABC Radio National: Books and Arts Daily - Australian Literature in Translation