Hiroshi Hayakawa receives The London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award 2022

Hiroshi Hayakawa is a leading light of Japanese publishing, having worked at independent family publisher Hayakawa Publishing Japan since 1965. Early in his career, as Vice President of the company, he managed foreign rights, acquiring a number of modern classics, including The Godfather, Jaws, Flowers for Algernon and Early Autumn. Upon becoming President, he brought a number of seminal titles to the Japanese market, including A Brief History of Time, Jurassic Park, Thinking Fast and Slow and The Remains of the Day. Over his thirty years as President, he has maintained Hayakawa Publishing’s prestigious literary fiction lists, while also being a vocal advocate for science fiction, mysteries and non-fiction titles, with his dedication to crime fiction earning him the Mystery Writers of America’s Ellery Queen Award in 1998.

Hiroshi Hayakawa, President of Hayakawa Publishing Japan said: “I was most surprised and deeply honoured by the London Book Fair’s consideration. My selection for such a prestigious award is very humbling, especially when I look at the All Star list of prior recipients. This honour is not mine alone, it belongs to all the members of Hayakawa Publishing who have supported me all these years. I do look forward to being able to visit London before too long.”

Andy Ventris, Director at The London Book Fair said: “We are delighted to name Hiroshi Hayakawa as the recipient of this year’s London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award, joining the illustrious alumni who have won this award since its inception nearly twenty years ago. For decades, Hiroshi has been a cornerstone of international publishing, bringing stories and voices from around the world to Japanese readers. His passion for the written word, and his championing of genre titles in particular, has changed the literary landscape of Japan and helped build the prestige of many of the most celebrated authors of our day.”

David Roche, Non-Executive Chairman, The London Book Fair commented: "The London Book Fair International Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an individual who has made a truly significant mark in the sphere of global publishing and has been awarded to a stellar list of winners since its inception. I am proud to chair the 2022 judging panel who have selected Hiroshi Hayakawa to be its latest recipient. Hiroshi stands proudly as a conductor, masterfully directing access to the complex Japanese market for the greatest international authors. He has facilitated stories from around the world in his 57 years at Hayakawa Publishing and 30 years as its president, and we are delighted to honour him in 2022."

The Lifetime Achievement Award committee selected Hiroshi Hayakawa from a shortlist of leading international publishing figures.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an individual who has made a truly significant mark in the sphere of global publishing. It is open to publishers, agents, editors, scouts and anyone else involved in international publishing from any country in the world.

PREVIOUS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS:

2021 – Margaret Busby, Allison & Busby, UK

2020 – Nigel Newton, Bloomsbury Publishing, UK

2019 - Dorotea Bromberg, Brombergs Bokförlag, Sweden

2018 - Sara Miller McCune, Sage Publishing, US

2017 - Luiz Schwarcz, Companhia das Letras, Brazil

2016 - Gail, Baroness Rebuck DBE, Penguin Random House, UK

2015 - Peter Usborne, Usborne, UK

2014 - Deborah Rogers, Rogers, Coleridge & White, UK

2013 - Michael Krüger, Hanser Verlag, Germany

2012 - Jorge Herralde, Editions Anagrama, Spain

2011 - Sonny Mehta, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., US

2010 - Antoine Gallimard, Éditions Gallimard, France

2009 - Drenka Willen, Harcourt, USA

2008 - Peter Mayer, Overlook Press and Duckworth, UK & USA

2007 - Lord Weidenfeld, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, UK

2006 - Christopher MacLehose, MacLehose Press, UK

2005 - Lynette Owen, Pearson Education, UK

2004 - John Lyons, Little, Brown, UK & USA

The London Book Fair (LBF) is the largest spring book trade and publishing event in the world, and will take place in person for the first time in two years at Olympia London, 5-7th April 2022.