The Japanese Kenzaburo Oe, who won his country a second Nobel Prize in Literature through books on pacifism and his handicapped son, has passed away. Kodansha Publishing, which was publishing Oi books, said he died on March 3 at the age of 88 due to advanced age.
Aoi was only 10 years old when Japan was defeated in World War II. His memories of the war were a source of distress and pain for him, among them his memories of being asked daily at school if he was willing to sacrifice his life for the emperor and of his shame before going to bed at night when he realized that he was not.
Oe wrote regarding the horrific stories of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and how the shock he felt following hearing regarding those events inspired him to become a writer.
Oe was never afraid to hold his country accountable, and was harsh in his criticism of former President Shinzo Abe’s efforts to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution.
He said in a 2014 interview that Japan bore “some” responsibility for the outbreak of the war.
His brain-damaged son, Hikari, was a strong inspiration for his literary writing. For several years, Hikari might not communicate with his family, but he became well-known as a composer when he reached puberty. Oe said most of his writing was an attempt to give Hikari a voice.
