Departures of note

Senji Kuroi was a Japanese novelist whose work drew on his long career as a salaried worker at a major company, exploring the texture of modern life and the individual's sense of being alive. He was regarded as a leading representative of the 'Introverted Generation' (Naiko no Sedai), the group of postwar writers who turned inward toward private experience rather than the grand social and political themes of their predecessors. His major works include 'Time' (Jikan), 'Life' (Seikatsu), and 'A Group of Stars' (Hoshigun), and he received numerous literary honors, including the Yomiuri Prize, the Kawabata Yasunari Prize, and the Noma Prize. He also served as president of the Japan PEN Club. Kuroi died of pneumonia on October 12, 2026, at the age of 94.