Akira Yanabu

2.1. Birth, Family, and Childhood

Akira Yanabu was born in Tokyo, Japan, on June 12, 1928. His birth name was 章新_Yukiyoshi^Japanese. His father served as an official in the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, indicating a family background connected to public service.

2.2. Health Issues and Academic Transition

Yanabu initially attended the Old-System Urawa High School. However, at the age of 20, he contracted tuberculosis, a severe illness that necessitated an extended period of recovery. He spent eight years recuperating in a sanatorium. This prolonged period of illness and recovery marked a significant turning point in his life. Originally inclined towards science, his experience during this time led him to shift his academic focus to the humanities, a transition known as "bunten" (文転_bunten^Japanese) in Japan.

2.3. University of Tokyo Period

Following his recovery, Yanabu enrolled in the University of Tokyo, from which he eventually graduated. He studied international relations within the College of Arts and Sciences. During his time at the university, he was a contemporary of notable figures such as Shigehiko Hasumi. Yanabu was actively involved in campus life, publishing articles such as "After the Black Ship Shock" (黒船ショック以後_{Kurofune Shokku Igo}^Japanese) and "Takeuchi no Sukune" (武内宿祢_{Takeuchi no Sukune}^Japanese) in the "University of Tokyo Newspaper." His writings earned him the May Festival Award and garnered praise from prominent intellectuals of the time, including Zen'ei Hotta.

3.1. Early Activities and Criticism

After graduating from the University of Tokyo, Yanabu initially pursued a career as a critic. During this period, he worked as a private tutor and dedicated himself to writing and publishing various works, laying the groundwork for his future academic contributions.

3.2. Momoyama Gakuin University Professor

In 1987, Akira Yanabu was invited by his former French language teacher from university, Hiroyuki Hirai, to join the faculty of Momoyama Gakuin University. He accepted the position and became a professor at the university. He continued his academic career there until his retirement in 1999. Upon his retirement, he was granted the title of professor emeritus, recognizing his significant contributions to the institution and his field.

4.1. Translation Word Research and Japanese Culture Analysis

Yanabu's seminal research centered on the concept of "translation words" (翻訳語_honnyakugo^Japanese). He meticulously analyzed how new terms and concepts were introduced into the Japanese language during the Meiji era, a period of rapid modernization and reception of Western culture. His work explored how these newly coined words, often direct translations or adaptations of Western concepts, profoundly influenced and revealed the underlying structure of Japanese culture, thought, and academia. He argued that the way in which these foreign concepts were translated and assimilated into Japanese reflected deeper characteristics and transformations within Japanese society. His approach was often framed as a cultural critique, questioning the fundamental nature of Japanese intellectual development as shaped by these linguistic and cultural encounters.

4.2. Translation and Cultural Theory

Beyond specific translation words, Yanabu developed broader theoretical concepts concerning the nature of translation itself. One of his notable contributions is the concept he termed the "cassette effect" (カセット効果_{kasetto kōka}^Japanese). This theory describes the phenomenon in translation where the translated form, particularly its written characters or linguistic structure, becomes prioritized over the original meaning or intent. This emphasis on the form of the translation, rather than its fidelity to the original's nuance, highlights a unique aspect of cultural reception and linguistic adaptation. His work explored the complex interplay between language, culture, and societal understanding, demonstrating how translation is not merely a linguistic transfer but a powerful force shaping cultural identity and intellectual discourse.

4.3. Major Works

Akira Yanabu authored numerous influential books throughout his career, contributing significantly to translation studies and comparative culture. His major works include:

• The Logic of Translation Words: The Structure of Japanese Culture as Seen in Language (翻訳語の論理 - 言語にみる日本文化の構造_{Honnyakugo no Ronri: Gengo ni Miru Nihon Bunka no Kōzō}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 1972)
• The Logic of Style: The Structure of Hideo Kobayashi's Thought (文体の論理 - 小林秀雄の思考の構造_{Buntai no Ronri: Kobayashi Hideo no Shikō no Kōzō}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 1976)
• What is Translation?: Japanese and Translation Culture (翻訳とはなにか - 日本語と翻訳文化_{Honnyaku to wa Nani ka: Nihongo to Honnyaku Bunka}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 1976)
• The Philosophy of Translation: Nature and nature (翻訳の思想 - 自然とnature_{Honnyaku no Shisō: Shizen to nature}^Japanese, Heibonsha, 1977; reissued by Chikuma Gakugei Bunko, 1995)
• Considering Translation Culture (翻訳文化を考える_{Honnyaku Bunka o Kangaeru}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 1978)
• Comparative Japanese Language Theory (比較日本語論_{Hikaku Nihongo Ron}^Japanese, Japan Translators Training Center, 1979)
• How to Write "Japanese" (「日本語」をどう書くか_{Nihongo o Dō Kaku ka}^Japanese, PHP Institute, 1981)
• The Circumstances of Translation Word Formation (翻訳語成立事情_{Honnyakugo Seiritsu Jijō}^Japanese, Iwanami Shinsho, 1982). This work has been translated into Korean (two versions) and German, indicating its international scholarly impact.
• Critique of Translation Studies: Structure of Japanese, Responsibility of Translation (翻訳学問批判 - 日本語の構造、翻訳の責任_{Honnyaku Gakumon Hihan: Nihongo no Kōzō, Honnyaku no Sekinin}^Japanese, Japan Translators Training Center, 1983)
• The Discovery of Modern Japanese (現代日本語の発見_{Gendai Nihongo no Hakken}^Japanese, Terakoya Shuppan, 1983)
• God and Shangdi: Translators in History (ゴッドと上帝 - 歴史の中の翻訳者_{Goddo to Jōtei: Rekishi no Naka no Honnyakusha}^Japanese, Chikuma Shobo, 1986; reissued as Is God God or Shangdi? by Iwanami Gendai Bunko, 2001)
• One-Word Dictionary: Culture (一語の辞典 - 文化_{Ichigo no Jiten: Bunka}^Japanese, Sanseido, 1995)
• Reading Translation Words (翻訳語を読む_{Honnyakugo o Yomu}^Japanese, Kobosha, 1998)
• One-Word Dictionary: Love (一語の辞典 - 愛_{Ichigo no Jiten: Ai}^Japanese, Sanseido, 2001)
• The Philosophy of "Secrecy": The Front and Back of Japanese Culture (「秘」の思想 - 日本文化のオモテとウラ_{Hi no Shisō: Nihon Bunka no Omote to Ura}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 2002)
• The Thought of Modern Japanese: The Circumstances of Translation Style Formation (近代日本語の思想 - 翻訳文体成立事情_{Kindai Nihongo no Shisō: Honnyaku Buntai Seiritsu Jijō}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 2004)
• Encounter with the Unknown: Re-exploring Translation Cultural Theory (未知との出会い 翻訳文化論再説_{Michi to no Deai: Honnyaku Bunka Ron Saisetsu}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 2013)

He also co-edited Japanese Translation Theory: Anthology and Commentary (日本の翻訳論 アンソロジーと解題_{Nihon no Honnyaku Ron: Ansorojī to Kaidai}^Japanese, Hosei University Press, 2010) with Mato Mizuno and Mikako Naganuma.