Japanese Mystery Author Keigo Higashino Dies at 68
Keigo Higashino, the celebrated Japanese writer of mystery novels, died of colorectal cancer in the early hours of 23 July 2026 at the age of 68. His family held a private funeral. Over a career that began with the 1985 Edogawa Ranpo Prize‑winning debut “After School”, he authored 106 books (excluding collaborations) and sold more than 100 million copies in Japan. His best‑known works include “The Devotion of Suspect X”, “White Night Walk”, “The Miracles of the Namiya General Store” and the “Detective Galileo” series, many of which have been adapted for film and television. He received the Naoki Prize in 2006 for “The Devotion of Suspect X”, the Medal with Purple Ribbon and the Kikuchi Kan Prize in 2023, and served as president of the Mystery Writers of Japan from 2009 to 2013. His final novel “Eternal Memory” is scheduled for publication on 5 August 2026.
Entities: Denso · Eternal Memory · Eternal Memory · Japan · Japan Mystery Writers Association · Keigo Higashino · Kodansha · Mystery Writers of Japan · Osaka · Osaka University of Technology · Osaka, Japan · The Devotion of Suspect X
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 23 SOURCES] Keigo Higashino died on 23 July 2026 from colorectal cancer at age 68. (belongs)
- [● 18 SOURCES] He was awarded the Naoki Prize in 2006 for “The Devotion of Suspect X”. (belongs)
- [● 18 SOURCES] His works have sold over 100 million copies in Japan. (belongs)
- [● 14 SOURCES] He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon and the Kikuchi Kan Prize in 2023. (belongs)
- [● 19 SOURCES] He won the Edogawa Ranpo Prize in 1985 for his debut novel “After School”. (belongs)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Keigo Higashino graduated from Osaka University of Technology with a degree in electrical engineering. (existing)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Keigo Higashino served as president of the Mystery Writers of Japan from 2009 to 2013. (existing)
- [● 7 SOURCES] He was born on 4 February 1958 in Osaka, Japan. (existing)
- [● 9 SOURCES] His unfinished novel “Eternal Memory” was scheduled for publication on 5 August 2026. (belongs)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Keigo Higashino authored 106 books. (new)
- [● 16 SOURCES] His funeral was a private family ceremony. (existing)
- [● 16 SOURCES] He won the Naoki Prize in 2006 for “The Devotion of Suspect X”. (existing)