Tetsu Yano

Tetsu Yano in 1964. (At the right-hand bottom, the spines of several books are visible. These are Shōnen Shōjo Sekai Bungaku Zenshū by Kodansha.). Tetsu Yano (Japanese 矢野徹 Yano Tetsu; October 5, 1923 – October 13, 2004) was a Japanese translator and writer of science fiction, fantasy, adventure stories and young adult novels. He was a founder and promoter of the Japanese science fiction at the dawn of this genre in Japan.

Yano introduced the works of British and American science fiction writers to Japanese readers through almost half centuries from the late 1940s. He was also the first Japanese writer of the genre to visit the United States, in 1953. He took part in founding Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan (SFWJ, 日本SF作家クラブ) in 1963, and served as its president from 1978 to 1979.

Biography Yano was born in 1923 at Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. He entered the faculty of engineering, Chuo University and studied for three years. Then, he was drafted into the cavalry regiment of the Imperial Japanese Army, serving two years and two months as a tank crewman.

Encounter with science fiction While working as an amateur interpreter, Yano happened to find that American soldiers were throwing many books into the boiler to burn them, at a US military base in Kyoto. Yano asked these books to give him and tried to read them. This was Yano's encounter with science fiction.

He learned to read English and eventually began translating science fiction. The works of Robert A. Heinlein, Frederik Pohl, Desmond Bagley, and Frank Herbert were among the some 360 translations by him. He also wrote stories of his own, including The Legend of the Paper Spaceship, which first appeared in English translation in 1984 and has appeared in several collections. Some of his stories have been adapted into anime.

Yano died on October 13, 2004, from cancer of the large intestine. Awards 1985 Special Award of Japan Adventure Novels Association Taishō . 1985 Karel Award for his translation contributions from the World SF. 1988-08 Seiun Award for Wizardry Diary . 2004-12 Special Award of Nihon SF Taishō Award for contributions to Japanese science fiction. 2005-07 Seiun Award for contributions to Japanese science fiction. Works Novels Chikyū zero nen 1969 Rippu shobo Kamui no Ken 1970, Rippu shobo The Dagger of Kamui Shinsekai yūgekitai 1972 Tsuru shobo seikosha Orgami uchūsen no densetsu 1978 Hayakawa shobo The Legend of the Paper Spaceship Karasu no umi 1977 Kadokawa shoten 442 rentai sentōdan 1979 Kadokawa shoten Jisatsu sensuikan totsugeki seyo 1980 Kadokawa shoten Akumu no senjō 1982 Hayakawa shobo Kōtei heika no senjō 1983 Kadokawa shoten Telepath-gari no wakusei 1992 Hayakawa shobo Sōgen wo yuku hansen 1993 Hayakawa shobo Sabaku no time-machine 1993 Hayakawa shobo Essays Kaminari kara TV made , Shinchosha, 1958 SF no Hon'yaku , Kisōtengaisha, 1981 Wizardry Nikki , MIE, 1987

Translations Young Adult fictions Yano translated and published story for both young adult and general people. Mohikan-zoku no Saigo (The Last of the Mohicans) 1826, by James Fenimore Cooper Chikyū Saigo no Hi (When Worlds Collide) 1933, by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer Esper-tō Monogatari (Odd John) 1935, by Olaf Stapledon Utau Hakkotsu (Jane Brown's Body) 1938, by Cornell Woolrich Norowareta Ushūsen (Orphans of the Sky) 1941/1963, by Robert A. Heinlein Chōjin Shūdan (The Deviates) 1956, by Raymond F. Jones

Fantasy Yano especially loved the stories by Robert Nathan. Bārī-mura no Vaiorin-hiki (The Fiddler in Barley) 1926, by Robert Nathan Kikori no Ie (The Woodcutter's House) 1927, by Robert Nathan Yume no Kuni wo Yuku Hansen (The Enchanted Voyage) 1936, by Robert Nathan Tapiola no Bōken (Tapiola's Brave Regiment) 1941, by Robert Nathan Natsu wa Tōku Sugite (Long After Summer) 1948, by Robert Nathan Sore yueni Ai wa Modoru (So Love Returns) 1958, by Robert Nathan

Science Fiction Tōshi (Gladiator) 1930, by Philip Wylie Odd John (Odd John) 1935, by Olaf Stapledon Chōseimei Vaiton (Sinister Barrier) 1943, by Eric Frank Russell Tenkai no Ō (The Star Kings) 1949, by Edmond Hamilton Ningen Ijou (More Than Human) 1953, by Theodore Sturgeon Uchū Seizōsha (The Universe Maker) 1953, by A. E. van Vogt Toki no Shihaisha (The Time Master) 1953, Wilson Tucker Chōnōryoku Agent (Wild Talent) 1954, by Wilson Tucker Midori no Hoshi no Odessei (The Green Odyssey) 1957, by Philip José Farmer Uchū no Senshi (Starship Troopers) 1959, by Robert A. Heinlein Uchū no Koji (Orphans of the Sky) 1941/1963, by Robert A. Heinlein Tsuki wa Mujihina Yoru no Joō (The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress) 1966, by Robert A. Heinlein Akutoku nanka Kowakunai (I Will Fear No Evil) 1970, by Robert A. Heinlein Dune (Dune) 1965, by Frank Herbert Komandā 1 (Commander 1) 1965, by Peter George Altair kara kita Iruka (The Dolphins of Altair) 1967, by Margaret St. Clair Hauser no Kioku (Hauser's Memory) 1968, by Curt Siodmak Bettyann yo Kaere (Bettyann) 1970, by Kris Neville Jigoku no Ie (Hell House) 1971, by Richard Matheson Yari-tsukuri no Run (Run, The Spearmaker) 1975, by Kris Neville Dune series (Dune saga) from 1965, by Frank Herbert et al. Dune - Suna no Wakusei (Dune) 1965, Frank Herbert Dune - Sabaku no Kyūseishu (Dune Messiah) 1969, by Frank Herbert Dune - Sakyū no Kodomo-tachi (Children of Dune) 1976, by Frank Herbert Dune - Sabaku no Shin-Kōtei (God Emperor of Dune) 1981, by Frank Herbert Dune - Sabaku no Itansha (Heretics of Dune) 1984, by Frank Herbert Dune - Sakyū no Dai-Seidō (Chapterhouse: Dune) 1985, by Frank Herbert Kōke Atreide - Dune e no Michi (Dune: House Atreides) 1999, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson Kōke Harkonnen - Dune e no Michi (Dune: House Harkonnen) 2000, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson Kōke Corrino - Dune e no Michi (Dune: House Corrino) 2001, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Thirillers and Adventures Kasei no Dai-Shōgun (The Warlord of Mars) 1919, by Edgar Rice Burroughs Tāzan to Ōgon Toshi (Tarzan and the City of Gold) 1933, Edgar Rice Burroughs Tāzan to Lion Man (Tarzan and the Lion Man) 1934, Edgar Rice Burroughs Tāzan to Kinjirareta Miyako (Tarzan and the Forbidden City) 1938, Edgar Rice Burroughs Tāzan to Kyōjin (Tarzan and the Madman) 1964, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Saigo no Kokkyōsen (The Last Frontier) 1959 by Alistair MacLean Hatten-shō ga Naru Toki (When Eight Bells Toll) 1966, by Alistair MacLean Saraba California (Goodbye California) 1978, by Alistair MacLean

Takai Toride (High Citadel) 1965, by Desmond Bagley Hurricane (Wyatt's Hurricane) 1966, by Desmond Bagley Ōgon no Tegami (The Vivero Letter) 1968, by Desmond Bagley Sabaku no Ryakudatsusha (The Spoilers) 1969, by Desmond Bagley Uragiri no Hyōga (Running Blind) 1970, by Desmond Bagley Taito-rōpu Man (The Tightrope Men) 1973, by Desmond Bagley Snow Tiger (The Snow Tiger) 1975, by Desmond Bagley Teki (The Enemy) 1977, by Desmond Bagley

English translated novel The Dagger of Kamui (Kamui no Ken)

Notes and references

Masao Azuma and Ran Ishido eds. The Dictionary of Japanese Fantasy Writers, (2009), 国書刊行会（2009） Tetsu Yano Translation of SF, (1981), 奇想天外社 (1981) S-F Magazine 2005 January issue, , Hayakawa Publishing "Afterword", Robert Nathan The Enchanted Voyage, trd. by Tetsu Yano, , 1974