is a Japanese science fiction writer. He graduated from the Osaka Institute of Technology, and worked as a volunteer in Nepal and the Philippines. He made his professional debut with the story ''137th Mobile Brigade'' in 1979 while still in Nepal. He is known mostly for his

hard science fiction Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by concern for scientific accuracy and logic. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell's ''Islands of Space'' in the Novemb ...

works, for which he won the

Seiun Award The is a Japanese speculative fiction award given each year for the best science fiction works and achievements during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by , the awards are given at the annual Nihon SF Taikai, Japan Science Fic ...

three times (twice for Best Novel, and once for Best Short Story), and the Nitta Jirō Culture Award once. He is a member of the

Mystery Writers of Japan is an organization for mystery writers in Japan. The organization was founded on 21 June 1947 by Edogawa Rampo. It is currently chaired by Natsuhiko Kyogoku and claims about 600 members. It presents the Mystery Writers of Japan Award to writers ...

, the

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan, or SFWJ (Japanese official name: , ''Nihon SF Sakka Club'') is an organization of SF-related people, professional or semi-professional. It was formerly a friendship organization, but it is a general inco ...

, the Space Authors Club, and an associate member of the

Hard SF Laboratory Hard means something that is difficult to do. It may also refer to: * Hardness, resistance of physical materials to deformation or fracture * Hard water, water with high mineral content Arts and entertainment * ''Hard'' (TV series), a French TV ...

. Tani currently lives in Komatsu in

Ishikawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,096,721 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,186 Square kilometre, km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Pr ...

History

Tani studied at the Osaka Institute of Technology, graduating from the engineering department with a degree in

civil engineering Civil engineering is a regulation and licensure in engineering, professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads ...

. After graduating, he helped coordinate construction work by the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers in Nepal, and also worked with the

Japan International Cooperation Agency The Japan International Cooperation Agency (), also known as JICA'','' is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social gr ...

in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. His debut work, , was published in the March 1979 issue of ''

Kisō Tengai is the third studio album by Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Dir En Grey. The album was released on January 30, 2002. It has helped them gain popularity across Asia. The first press edition came with an extra booklet of lyrics and t ...

'' magazine, for which he won an honorable mention in the 2nd Kisō Tengai SF Rookie of the Year Awards in 1980. He published , beginning his close association with

adventure novel Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the introduction to the ''Encycloped ...

s. From that point, he also began to publish many stories of what he styled as "

future history A future history, imaginary history or anticipatory history is a fictional conjecture of the future used by authors of science fiction and other speculative fiction to construct a common background for stories. Sometimes the author publishes a t ...

", including his novel . In 1987, Tani's won the

for "Best Japanese Short Story of the Year". He won the Seiun Award for "Best Japanese Novel of the Year" in 1994 for . His story was awarded the Nitta Jirō Culture Award in 1996. He won "Best Japanese Novel of the Year" again in 2007 for , which he coauthored with

Sakyo Komatsu was a Japanese science fiction writer and screenwriter. He was one of the most well known and highly regarded science fiction writers in Japan. Early life Born Minoru "Sakyo" Komatsu in Osaka, he was a graduate of Kyoto University where he st ...

Works in English translation

* "Q-Cruiser ''Basilisk''" (''Speculative Japan 2'', Kurodahan Press, 2011) * ''The Erinys Incident'' (Kurodahan Press, 2018)''The Erinys Incident'', Kurodahan Press
/ref>

References

External links

NHK interview and review

SF-Fantasy.com interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tani, Koshu 1951 births Japanese science fiction writers Living people People from Itami, Hyōgo Japan International Cooperation Agency Writers from Hyōgo Prefecture