The Activities of Sakyo Komatsu and the Establishment of Japanese Science Fiction Literature - Osaka and Tokyo, 1960s-1970s

The Activities of Sakyo Komatsu and the Establishment of Japanese Science Fiction Literature - Osaka and Tokyo, 1960s-1970s

Sakyo Komatsu (real name: Minoru Komatsu, 1926-2011) is widely known as a Japanese science fiction writer and established Japanese science fiction literature from the 1960s to the 1970s. During this period, Japan experienced a period of rapid economic growth and economic activity centered on metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train are remembered as symbolic events. The threat of nuclear weapons and the space race during the Cold War also had a major impact on people's consciousness, with the U.S. Apollo program and the space flight of Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union making headlines.

In 1964, Sakyo Komatsu attracted attention with his short story "Peace on Earth," and in 1973, "Sinking of Japan" depicted the destruction of Tokyo and Osaka by an earthquake and tsunami. This work was made into a film directed by Shiro Moriya and starred Hiroshi Fujioka. In addition, "Resurrection Day" developed a story incorporating scientific considerations on the theme of the crisis of human extinction caused by a virus spreading from Hokkaido. This film was made into a movie directed by Kinji Fukasaku and starred Masao Kusakari.

Komatsu led the Japanese science fiction world along with contemporaries such as Shinichi Hoshi and Masami Fukushima, and was also active in a wide range of activities as a critic and screenwriter. In particular, he developed his works from a national perspective, drawing on his university life in Kyoto and his cultural background in Osaka. In "Sinking of Japan," he depicted themes closely tied to real-life social issues, such as the landfill problem in Tokyo Bay and the pollution problem in Yokkaichi City.

Sakyo Komatsu's works reflect the challenges that Japan faced in the postwar era while sounding the alarm bells for a future society. His works sharply pointed out the environmental destruction and technological threats that lurked behind economic development, and they continue to be read today without losing their universality. Through his science fiction literature, he presented a timeless vision that has had a profound impact on Japanese culture.