Japan's Akira Otani Wins British Crime Novel Award

   London, July 3 (Jiji Press)--The English version of "The Night of Baba Yaga," a novel by Japanese author Akira Otani, has won a prestigious British crime novel award, Britain's Crime Writers' Association said Thursday.
   Otani, 44, was awarded the 2025 Dagger prize for crime fiction in translation, becoming the first Japanese winner of the prize.
   The novel "sparkles with originality and delivers a splendid if bizarre love story," judges said.
   In the category, "Butter," a novel by Japanese author Asako Yuzuki, which received the debut fiction category of the 2025 British Book Awards in May, was also shortlisted.
   Otani told reporters, "I didn't expect this to happen, and it doesn't feel real."

(2025/07/04-13:43)