Made in Japan and Other Japanese Business Novels

by Tamae K. Prindle

The term "business novel" is a translation of the Japanese word kezai shosetsu, which may be translated literally as * 'economy novel.'' Critic Makoto Sataka first used the word "business" in place of "economy" in his monograph How to Read Business Novels (1980). l Business novels are "popular novels" (taishu bungaku) widely read by Japanese businessmen, their wives, students, and other professionals.. Business novels were recognized as a * 'field'' or a literary sub-genre in the late 1950s. It was Saburo Shiroyama's Export (Yushutsu) (1957), if not his Kinjo the Corporate Bouncer (Sokaiya Kinjo) (1959), which marshalled their enormous popularity. The seven short works in this collection represent prototypes of the business novel. Their distinctive features are that business activities motivate plot developments, although psycho-socio-cultural elements are tightly interwoven.

Genres: Japan

200 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1991

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to the introduction to this book, the business novel is a uniquely Japanese genre. These are dramatic tales set in a realistic version of the contemporary business world, and after getting absorbed in a few of the stories here, I found myself wondering why this genre is not popular in the USA. Certainly there are enough Americans who are obsessed enough with the business world and its concurrent issues of status and competition to enjoy this kind of storytelling. This collects 7 examples of Japanese business fiction - not entire novels, but short stories and excerpts from novels. All of them stand up well on their own, and the collection is very well translated and curated by Prindle.

There are 3 stories by Saburo Shiroyama, and all are intense and engaging. In the title story (from the 1950s), the executive of a thermometer company with international distribution struggles against competitors and spies to keep his company successful. "Kinjo the Corporate Bouncer" tells the story of a tough old "sokaiya" who is working to save a bank from being taken over by hostile competitors. Sokaiyas are a uniquely Japanese phenomenon - rough-edged characters, some of them criminals, who are hired by companies to bully and dominate stockholder meetings. And in "In Los Angeles" Shiroyama tells us of a mid-level trading company man who finds himself in a difficult situation dealing with an arrogant new boss and some hostility from their business partners following a cancelled business arrangement.

The other writers are equally impressive. Ikko Shimizu's "Silver Sanctuary" features some stunning dramatic moments, e.g. a disliked boss gets roughed up and thrown down some stairs at a dimly lit, after working hours party, and a man gets offered the opportunity to marry a woman by a colleague who is concerned about his future. In Ryo Takasugi's "From Paris", a young company man who is a favorite of the president's wife, tries to get himself transferred back to Tokyo but ends up sent to Africa instead, to cover up a mistake by someone else. Taichi Sakaya's "The Baby Boom Generation" tells of a young employee of an electrical products company who proposes a chain of convenience stores to the company brass, and sets in motion a series of events that results in him becoming the unwilling shopkeeper of one of them. Takeshi Kaiko's story reads more like literary fiction, but the the subject is the advertising department of a caramel manufacturer and its struggles for success.

These writers all have business world experience, and their stories are full of believable details, intrigues, unexpected twists, and insights into Japanese life. It would be fun to read some more someday, but I would probably have to learn Japanese in order to do so.

[Tenma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book is like watching an old B&W movie. You know that most of what you see is outdated or obsolete, but you still enjoy it. I got the same vibe while reading this book. There are seven wonderful short stories by different authors that deal with interpersonal relationships within a business setting as their backdrop. They echo the Japanese psyche, their way of thinking, and how they interacted with each other and operated in the business world, primarily during the period from the 50’s to late 80’s.

When I first read the title of the book and saw the cover art, I was not sure what to expect. I soon realized that the stories were referred to as “business” novels because they are rooted in reality and present real life scenarios that you can readily relate to. For example, if you work for a bank, at a trading company overseas, or in a convenience store, you will immediately relate to several of the stories in this book.

This book should appeal to anyone who enjoys short stories, and particularly those interested in the Japanese culture and history from that era. The writing itself feels very modern and fresh, probably because of the excellent translation. If it was not for the printed publication date, I would never have guessed that this English translation was published almost three decades ago.