Episode two in a series of podcasts exploring the world of Japanese literature. Hosted by translator Polly Barton in partnership with Writers' Centre Norwich.

This is the first of a two-part conversation with Aoko Matsuda, one of Japan's most promising young writers. Aoko has published four collections of stories; English translations of her work include “Photographs Are Images” and “Love Isn’t Easy When You Are The National Anthem” (trans. Jeffrey Angles) in Monkey Business, “Smartening Up” (trans. Polly Barton) in Granta, and “Planting” published as part of the Waseda Bungaku Japan Earthquake Charity Literature project (trans. Angus Turvill).

Aoko visited Norwich UNESCO City of Literature in August 2017 for a month-long writing residency, alongside Polly Barton. Here, Aoko and Polly are joined in conversation by Motoyuki Shibata, editor of the English-language literary journal Monkey Business, as well as of the Japanese-language journal Monkey.