Mari Yonehara
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese translator, essayist, non-fiction writer, novelist and simultaneous interpreter between Russian
and Japanese
, best known in Japan for simultaneous interpretation in 1980s and 1990s and writing in 2000s.
. Her father Itaru was a member of the Japan Communist Party and had a seat in the lower house of the Japanese Diet
representing Tottori Prefecture
, and her grandfather, Yonehara Shōzō, was President of Tottory Prefecture Assembly, and a member of the House of Peers
.
In 1959, Itaru was sent to Prague
, Czechoslovakia
as an editor of The Problems on Peace and Socialism, an international communist party magazine and his family accompanied him. Mari initially studied the Czech language
, but her father placed her in an international school run by the Soviet Union
, where education was conducted in Russian language so that his children were able to continue the language in Japan. The school curriculum was heavy on communist indoctrination, and Yonehara's classmates included children from over 50 countries.
Yonehara returned to Japan in 1964, and after graduation from high school, attended the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
, majoring in the Russian language. She also joined the Japan Communist Party. She then attended a postgraduate program at the University of Tokyo
, where she received master
in Russian literature
and Russian culture. After she left the university, she taught Russian at the Soviet Gakuin (present day Tokyo Russian Language Institute) and the Bunka Gakuin's "university division", while working as an interpreter and translator part-time. In 1980, she co-founded the and became its first secretary-in-chief.
She was the president of the Association 1995-1997 and 2003-2006 until her death.
With the demise and the collapse of the Soviet Union, her services were much in demand by the news agencies, television and also by the Japanese government, and she was also requested to assist during the visit of Russian President Boris Yeltsin
to Japan in 1990.
From April 1997 to March 1998, she appeared on the public broadcaster NHK
's Russian language educational program.
In 2001 she received a for
(ISBN 978-4-04-883681-4) about the search for her classmates at Prague after the collapse of the Soviet Bloc.
In 2003 she received a for her long novel (ISBN 978-4-08774572-6) published in 2002, about an old female dancer living the Soviet era.
From 2003, she was a regular commentator on TBS
television's Saturday evening news show, . Her hobbies included the Japanese , , and she kept numerous dogs and cats. She never married.
She was also an active member and official of the Japan PEN
.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, best known in Japan for simultaneous interpretation in 1980s and 1990s and writing in 2000s.
Biography
Yonehara was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Her father Itaru was a member of the Japan Communist Party and had a seat in the lower house of the Japanese Diet
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
representing Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
, and her grandfather, Yonehara Shōzō, was President of Tottory Prefecture Assembly, and a member of the House of Peers
House of Peers (Japan)
The ' was the upper house of the Imperial Diet as mandated under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan ....
.
In 1959, Itaru was sent to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
as an editor of The Problems on Peace and Socialism, an international communist party magazine and his family accompanied him. Mari initially studied the Czech language
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
, but her father placed her in an international school run by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, where education was conducted in Russian language so that his children were able to continue the language in Japan. The school curriculum was heavy on communist indoctrination, and Yonehara's classmates included children from over 50 countries.
Yonehara returned to Japan in 1964, and after graduation from high school, attended the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
TUFS is a specialized institution only in foreign language, international affairs and foreign studies, thus it is not as well-known as other big universities such as University of Tokyo and Kyoto University...
, majoring in the Russian language. She also joined the Japan Communist Party. She then attended a postgraduate program at the University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
, where she received master
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Russian literature
Russian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
and Russian culture. After she left the university, she taught Russian at the Soviet Gakuin (present day Tokyo Russian Language Institute) and the Bunka Gakuin's "university division", while working as an interpreter and translator part-time. In 1980, she co-founded the and became its first secretary-in-chief.
She was the president of the Association 1995-1997 and 2003-2006 until her death.
With the demise and the collapse of the Soviet Union, her services were much in demand by the news agencies, television and also by the Japanese government, and she was also requested to assist during the visit of Russian President Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
to Japan in 1990.
From April 1997 to March 1998, she appeared on the public broadcaster NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
's Russian language educational program.
In 2001 she received a for
(ISBN 978-4-04-883681-4) about the search for her classmates at Prague after the collapse of the Soviet Bloc.
In 2003 she received a for her long novel (ISBN 978-4-08774572-6) published in 2002, about an old female dancer living the Soviet era.
From 2003, she was a regular commentator on TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
television's Saturday evening news show, . Her hobbies included the Japanese , , and she kept numerous dogs and cats. She never married.
Nicknames
Her nicknames that appeared in her essays include : a dajare on and : also a dajare on .She was also an active member and official of the Japan PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
.