Takiji Kobayashi

Takiji Kobayashi
Takiji Kobayashi
Native name	Tiểu lâm nhiều hỉ nhị
Born	October 13, 1903; Odate, Akita,Japan
Died	February 20, 1933(aged 29); Tokyo,Japan
Occupation	Writer
Genre	Novels
Literary movement	proletarian literature

Takiji Kobayashi(Tiểu lâm nhiều hỉ nhị,Kobayashi Takiji,October 13, 1903 – February 20, 1933)was a Japanese writer ofproletarian literature.

He is best known for his short novelKanikōsen,orCrab Cannery Ship,published in 1929. It tells the story of the hard life of cannery workers, fishermen and seamen on board a cannery ship and the beginning of their revolt against the company and its managers.

The young writer died due to violenttortureafter arrest by theTokkōpolicetwo years later, at the age of 29.^[1]

Biography

Kobayashi was born inOdate, Akita,Japan. At the age of four, his family moved toOtaru, Hokkaido.The family was not wealthy, but Kobayashi's uncle paid his schooling expenses and he was able to attend Hokkaido Otaru Commercial High School and Otaru Commercial School of Higher Learning, which is the currentOtaru University of Commerce.While studying, he became interested in writing, and submitted essays toliterary magazines,served in the editorial committee for his school's alumni association magazine, and also had his own writing published. One of his teachers at school was economist, critic, and poetNobuyuki Okuma^[jp].Around this time, due to financial hardship and the current economic recession of the time, he joined thelabour movement.^[2]

After graduating from school, he worked in theOtarubranch of theHokkaido Takushoku Bank.In the1928 general election,Kobayashi helped with election candidateKenzo Yamamoto's campaign, and went to Yamamoto's campaign speech in a village at the base ofMount Yōtei.This experience was later incorporated into his bookHigashikutchankō(Đông đều biết an hành).In the same year, his storyMarch 15, 1928(based on theMarch 15 incident) was published in the literary magazineSenki( "Standard of Battle" in Japanese). The story depictedtortureby theTokkōspecial higher police, which in turn infuriated government officials.^{[citation needed]}

In 1929, Kobayashi's novelKanikōsenabout a crab-fishing and canning ship's crew determined to stand up to a cruel manager under harsh conditions was published inSenki.It quickly gained attention and notoriety, and became a standard-bearer ofMarxistproletarian literature. In July of that year, it was adapted into a theatrical performance and was performed at theImperial Garden Theaterunder the titleNorth of latitude 50 degrees north(Vĩ độ Bắc 50 độ lấy bắc).The full text ofKanikōsen,now the length of a short novel, was not available in Japan until 1948.Kanikōsenwas subsequently published three times translated into English asThe Cannery Boat(1933),The Factory Ship(1973), andThe Crab Cannery Ship(2013), as well as in other languages.

Also in 1929, Kobayashi publishedThe Absentee Landlord,after having worked on several versions. This book describes the hard life of local or immigrant tenant farmers on the northern island ofHokkaido,and their struggle with the way they are treated by rich landowners, as Japan was making efforts to strengthen its colonization of this island and to develop its agriculture and industry. The story is located in the unnamed village of 'S.', close to the town ofAsahikawa,along theIshikari Rivervalley, about 80 miles North East ofOtaruwhere Kobayashi was living.

The police (in particular theTokubetsu Kōtō KeisatsuorTokkō) marked Kobayashi for surveillance, and in the same year the publication of his new book "Absentee Landlord"(Không ở địa chủ,Fuzaijinushi)in theChūōkōronmagazine became grounds for his dismissal from his job at the bank.^[3]

In the spring of 1930, Kobayashi moved to Tokyo and became the secretary general of the Proletarian Writer's Guild of Japan. On May 23 he was arrested on suspicion of giving financial support to theJapanese Communist Party,and was temporarily released on June 7. After returning to Tokyo on June 24, he was again arrested and in July, due toKanikōsenhe was further indicted on charges ofLèse majesté.In August, he was prosecuted under thePublic Order and Police Law of 1900and was imprisoned in Toyotama Penitentiary. On January 22, 1931, he was released on bail. He then secluded himself at the Nanasawa Hot Spring inKanagawa Prefecture.In October 1931, Kobayashi officially became a member of the outlawed Japan Communist Party.^[4]

In November, he visited the house ofNaoya ShigainNara Prefecture,and in the spring of 1932, he went underground.^[1]

Kobayashi's corpse (bottom of frame) at the Tsukiji Police Station, surrounded by friends

On February 20, 1933, Kobayashi went to a meeting spot inAkasakato meet with a fellow Communist Party member, who turned out to be aTokkōspy who had infiltrated the party. TheTokkōwere lying in wait for him, and although he tried to escape, he was captured and arrested.^[4]Kobayashi was taken to Tsukiji Police Station, where he was tortured.^[1]Police authorities announced the following day that Kobayashi had died of aheart attack.^[5]No hospital would perform anautopsyfor fear of theTokkō.^[6]

Legacy

Memorial monument for Takiji Kobayashi, in front ofShimokawazoi StationinOdate, Akita

2008 bestseller

In 2008,Kanikōsenbecame a surprise bestseller thanks to an advertising campaign linking the novel to the working poor.^[7]^[8]

Translations

Kobayashi's principal works have been translated into numerous languages, including Russian, Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish, Basque, Italian, Portuguese, German, French, Polish, and Norwegian.

In 1933,The Cannery Boat and other Japanese short storieswas published by the International Publishers in New York. The anonymous translator was William Maxwell "Max" Bickerton. Because of censorship, the translation of the title text (Kanikōsen) is incomplete, comprising slightly more than half of the original. The full text of the novel did not become available in Japan until 1948.^{[citation needed]}

In 1973, an English translation of Kobayashi's two novels by Frank Motofuji under the titlesThe Factory Ship(Kanikōsen) andThe Absentee Landlord(Fuzai jinushi) was published by theUniversity of Tokyo Pressunder sponsorship fromUNESCO.^[9]

In 2013,The Crab Cannery Ship and Other Novels of Strugglewas published by theUniversity of Hawaii Press.In addition to a new translation of the title text (Kanikōsen), the book includesYasukoandLife of a Party Member(Tōseikatsusha). The introduction is byYōichi Komori,professor of Japanese literature atTokyo University.The translator is Željko Cipriš.

In 2013, "Kani Kosen: Sebuah Revolusi" was published by the Jalasutra Publisher, Indonesia as an Indonesia version of Takijis work, Kani Kosen.

The Crab Cannery Ship('Le bateau-usine')^[10]andThe Absentee Landlord(Le propriétaire absent)^[11]were published in French in 2010 and 2017 respectively.

Takiji Sai

The Otaru Takiji-sai Jikko Iinkai is a coterie of Takiji Kobayashi's admirers. They organized an 80th anniversary commemorating Kobayashi's death inHokkaido.Amongst those who attended the 80th anniversary wasNorma Field.Katsuo Terai serves as chairman of the Takiji-sai.^[12]The larger Takiji Sai tend to be in locales that were important to Takiji's life like Otaru, Akita, and the Greater Tokyo Suginami-Nakano-Shibuya Memorials. Takiji Sai are evening events, and feature a musical program as well as talks on Takiji's life and works.^[13]

Suite Slaughter

Suite Slaughter(Kumikyoku Gyakusatsu) is a musical written byInoue Hisashi,and depicts Kobayashi from the time he was picked up for questioning in Osaka in May 1930 till his death three years later. The play opened on 3 October 2009 at the Galaxy Theater (Ginga Gekijō) at Tennozu Isle in Tokyo. After “Suite Slaughter” closes at the Galaxy Theater on Oct. 25, it plans to travel to theHyogo Performing Arts CenterinNishinomiya,and the Kawanishicho Friendly Plaza in Yamagata.^[14]According toThe Japan Times,“Suite Slaughter” premiered successfully in its premiere in October 2009 and picked up several prestigious awards.^[15]

Takiji Library

A Takiji Library was established by Sano Chikara, a businessman who graduated from Kobayashi's alma mater,Otaru University of Commerce.The Takiji Library became a centralized source of information. It sponsored the publication of ten books, including amangaversion of "The Cannery Ship". The Takiji Library, together with Otaru University, co-sponsored a series of internationalsymposia.The Takiji Library, and the Otaru University for Commerce, co-sponsored an essay contest on "The Cannery Ship".^[16]^[17]

Strike the Hour, Takiji

Strike the Hour, Takijiis a documentary film on Kobayashi's life. It was released in 2005.^[16]^[18]

Otaru Literary Museum

The Otaru Literary Museum features several Japanese writers, including Takiji Kobayashi. Takiji's bronze death mask is located in the Otaru Literary Museum. Tamagawa Kaoru, the curator of the museum, states that the museum has had a bump in attendance from the “Kani kosen boom”.^[13]

Tourism

The "Kani kosen boom" has brought a tangible excitement to Otaru city, a city that boasts Takiji Kobayashi's grave and has a compelling claim to be his hometown. There are books that describe Takiji “literary walks” for fans to retrace places of significance to Takiji Kobayashi. As a result of the “Kani kosen boom”, there is also a Japan Tourist Bureau bus tour. The tour starts at the Otaru Literary Museum, a museum that features Takiji, and other Japanese writers. The bus then tours around Otaru, and makes a special visit to the gravesite of Takiji Kobayashi.^[13]