Japanese novel wins major British book award
The Japanese novel “Butter”, by Asako Yuzuki, has been honored with the debut fiction award at the 2025 British Book Awards.
Yuzuki’s novel, which marks her first publication in Britain, received the ‘Book of the Year – Debut Fiction’ award at a ceremony held on May 13th.
Since its release in the United Kingdom in 2024, “Butter” has received significant critical praise for its unflinching exploration of complex and timely themes, including misogyny, fatphobia, and sexism within contemporary Japanese society.
In a statement released by the books Japanese publisher Shinchosha, Yuzuki expressed her profound gratitude for the award, stating it was “a great honor.”
She extended her thanks to Polly Barton, the English translator who skillfully brought her work to a new linguistic audience, as well as her British publisher Fourth Estate, booksellers who championed the novel and the readers who embraced its narrative.
“Butter” delves into the relationship between journalist Rika Machida and Manako Kajii, a woman imprisoned and accused of murdering men she seduced through elaborate and enticing culinary creations.
As Machida investigates Kajii’s case and engages in correspondence centered around food and its cultural significance, she becomes increasingly fascinated by Kajii’s unique tastes and, disturbingly, finds herself confronting similar experiences of body shaming that her subject has endured.
The novel uses the lens of food and interpersonal connection to dissect societal prejudices and the often-toxic dynamics between men and women.
The commercial success of “Butter” abroad has now surpassed its domestic sales in Japan. Since its initial release in Japan in 2017, the novel has sold approximately 300,000 copies while its international reach has proven even greater, with over 400,000 copies sold in Britain and more than 100,000 copies sold in the United States.
The British Book Award win follows another significant accolade for “Butter” in the UK. In 2024, the novel was named the ‘Waterstones Book Of The Year’ by the major British bookshop chain.
This latest recognition for Asako Yuzuki’s “Butter” arrives amidst a period of heightened interest in translated Japanese fiction within the British literary landscape.
According to the sponsor of Britain’s prestigious International Booker Prize, Japanese works accounted for a remarkable 14 out of the top 30 translated novels sold in Britain in 2022.
Source: The Mainichi, The British Book Awards
Images: © The British Book Awards, The Book Seller
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