World
Keigo Higashino, Leading Figure of Japanese Mystery Fiction, Dies at 68
Keigo Higashino, one of Japan's most influential mystery and crime fiction authors, died on the night of July 23, 2026, from colorectal cancer at age 68. Kodansha—Japan's largest publishing house—announced his death on July 27. He was buried in a private family ceremony. Over his four-decade career, Higashino wrote more than 106 works published across 41 countries and territories, with sales in Japan exceeding 100 million copies. More than 20 of his novels were adapted for film and television. Born February 4, 1958, in Osaka Prefecture, Higashino began his literary career in 1985 after winning the Edogawa-Ranpo Prize.