Bungeishunjū (magazine)

Bungeishunjū (文藝春秋) is a Japanese monthly magazine based in Tokyo, Japan.

Bungeishunjū
CategoriesPolitical
literary
FrequencyMonthly
PublisherBungeishunjū
Year founded1923 (1923)
CountryJapan
Based inTokyo
LanguageJapanese
WebsiteBungeishunjū

History and profile

Bungeishunjū was started by writer Kikuchi Kan (1888-1948) in 1923.[1][2] The name of the magazine and publishing house came from the title of the literary review column in the magazine Shinchō by Kan. Bungeishunjū is published on a monthly basis.[3] The magazine's stance is described as conservative,[4][5] with strong support for the emperor. The headquarters of the magazine is in Tokyo.[6]

Bungeishunjū covers a wide range of topics from politics to sports. Each issue usually contains about 30 articles by politicians, researchers, journalists or non-fiction writers. It is claimed that the magazine never features articles by members of the Japanese Communist Party or the Social Democratic Party but this is actually false as there are some exceptions. It has published writing by Takako Doi, former leader of the Japan Socialist Party, in September 2005, and by Tetsuzo Fuwa, the chairman of the secretariat of the JCP, when the Soviet Union collapsed.

In 1974 Bungeishunjū published an article concerning the bribery allegation about the then Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka.[3] Following the event he was arrested in 1976.[3]

The magazine grants literary awards every year. The February issues announces recipients of The Reader's Prize (文藝春秋読者賞, Bungeishunjūdokushashō). In the March and September issues the Akutagawa Prize, established in 1935,[6] recipients are announced; in June issues the Ohya non-fiction prize; in July issues the recipients of the Matsumoto Seichō prize; and the December issues announce recipients of the Kikuchi Kan prize which was started by the magazine in 1939.[7] The prize is named for Kikuchi Kan who is the founder of the magazine.[7]

In 2006 Bungeishunjū sold 620,850 copies.[8]

References
  1. "History of Magazines in Japan: 1867-1988". Kanzaki. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  2. "Bungeishunju Ltd". J'lit. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  3. Mariko Oi (21 April 2016). "The Japanese magazine shaking up the cosy media club". BBC. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  4. Kataoka, Tetsuya (1 January 1991). The Price of a Constitution: The Origin of Japan's Postwar Politics. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780844817149.
  5. "Labeled the reporter who "fabricated" the comfort woman issue: A Rebuttal | The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus". Japan Focus. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  6. Rudiger Wischenbart (21 June 2010). "The Top Seven Japanese Publishing Companies from PW's Global Ranking 2009". Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  7. Jane Clapp (1963). International Dictionary of Literary Awards. New York: Scarecrow Press. p. 192. – via Questia (subscription required)
  8. "Manga Anthology Circulations 2004-2006". ComiPress. 27 December 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
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