Postwar Japanese literature has been characterized by the emergence of a large number of woman writers as major figures in the literary establishment. Among these ba Minako occupies a prominent position. Since winning the 1967 Akutagawa Prize for her short story ""Sanbiki no kani" (The Three Crabs, 1967), she has steadily built a literary career of remarkable stature and diversity. Her works can be grouped into four categories. Most significantly she has been known as a feminist writer who deals not only with women's issues, but also with wider gender issues, dealing exhaustively with relationships between men and women. She has also established a position as one who brings an international perspective to her writing. As with other contemporary writers, she approaches literature from her own global experience. At the same time, however, she is firmly grounded in her Japanese tradition, and a significant body of her work reaches back...