Mieko Kawakami draws attention with 50th birthday photos

Japanese author Mieko Kawakami has drawn significant attention on social media after sharing photos to mark her 50th birthday. In her posts, Kawakami expressed gratitude to her supporters, noting that her ability to make a living through writing is due to the continued companionship of her readers.

Netizens reacted with surprise to her appearance in the selfies, with many commenters remarking that she appears much younger than 50. Some comparisons were drawn to manga artist Hirohiko Araki, known for his youthful appearance. However, some users expressed skepticism, suggesting the images might be edited or that unretouched press photos show a more age-appropriate appearance.

Kawakami, born in Osaka in 1976, is a prominent literary figure who won the Akutagawa Prize in 2008 for her work ‘Breasts and Eggs’ and has received numerous other literary awards over the past decade.