Tokyo: An evening devoted to the translation of literary works

The lectures were given by a famous translator and lecturer of the Japanese language in Serbia, Hiroshi Yamasaki Vukelić, who is this year’s receiver of the gold medal of the Republic of Serbia for meritorious service, and professor of Japanese studies at the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade, Kayoko Yamasaki. They presented their translations of selected works by Njegoš and Ivo Andrić into Japanese, published by Genki Shobou.

The Ambassador of Serbia in Tokyo, Aleksandra Kovač, emphasized the importance of the ties between our literary communities, peoples and cultures, which have been established 140 years ago with the exchange, and translation, of letters between King Milan I Obrenović and Emperor Meiji. Quoting Andrić, the ambassador pointed out that translators are the best interpreters and mediators in the ever-divided world, and that translators, among others, should be thanked for creating closer ties between nations and people.

She expressed gratitude to Hiroshi Yamasaki Vukelić and Kayoko Yamasaki for decades of dedicated work and their role in creating ties and better understanding between two geographically and culturally distant nations, as well as to the Genki Shobou publishing house, which made it possible for Japanese readers to read the works of two Serbian literary greats.

The event was attended by the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia in Osaka Naohide Ueyama, President of the Japan-Serbia Association Tadashi Nagai, members of the association, representatives of the academic community, and other friends of the Embassy.