JAPAN P.E.N. CLUB

The Japan P.E.N. Club (Nihon Pen Kurabu) is a nongovernmental organization formed by writers aimed at promoting discussion and expression, protecting freedom of the press, and furthering international cultural exchange. In 1935, Japan’s minister of foreign affairs received a request from the International P.E.N. Club to establish a branch in Japan. He then relayed that request to the foremost bundan (writer’s guilds), and Shimazaki Toson was appointed to be the first president. The Club was not active during World War II but was reactivated in 1947 and reinstated as a member of the International P.E.N. Club. In 1957, Tokyo and Kyoto jointly hosted an International P.E.N. Club conference centered on the theme “The Mutual Influence of Oriental and Occidental Literature.” The Japan P.E.N. Club has been politically active throughout the years and has been historically liberal and antiwar in its political orientation. Other notable Japan P.E.N. Club presidents include Masamune Hakucho, Shiga Naoya, Kawabata Yasunari, and Ishikawa Tatsuzo.