Reading David Malouf’s Remembering Babylon in Tokyo

The recent launch in Tokyo of the Japanese translation of David Malouf's novel Remembering Babylon marked an important moment in the international circulation of Australian literature. Japanese academics and those working in the publishing and cultural industries were among the crowd gathered at the Australian embassy to celebrate. There were speeches from, among others, ambassador Bruce Miller and president of the Japanese Australian Studies Association, Yasue Arimitsu, both enthusiastic about Australian writing and its capacity to generate cross-cultural understanding. I proposed the toast, with a few words about literature and the imagination. Malouf, unable to attend, sent a gracious message of appreciation.