Michael Pronko

Michael Pronko is a Tokyo-based writer of murder, memoir and music. His writing about Tokyo life and his character-driven mysteries have won awards and five-star reviews. Kirkus Reviews selected his second novel, The Moving Blade for their Best Books of 2018. His sixth in the award-winning Detective Hiroshi series was released in December 2023. Michael also runs the website, Jazz in Japan, which covers the vibrant jazz scene in Tokyo and published three collections of essays about daily life in Tokyo. He teaches American Literature and Film at Meiji Gakuin University. His seminars focus on contemporary novels, American culture, and film adaptations. During his nearly 30 years in Japan, he has written about Japanese culture, art, society and politics for Newsweek Japan, The Japan Times, and Artscape Japan and appeared on NHK TV and Nippon Television about his writings.