Junji Kinoshita

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Junji Kinoshita (木下順二, Kinoshita Junji^?), (2 August 1914 – 30 October 2006), was a Japanese playwright and translator of Shakespeare born in Hongō, which is now Bunkyō, Tokyo.

He graduated from the University of Tokyo, where he majored in English literature.

Well-known works translated into English include Twilight Crane (夕鶴, yūzuru), Wind and Waves (風浪, fūrō) and Between God and Man (神と人とのあいだ, kami-to hito-to-no aida).

Kinoshita is alleged by some to have been a member of the Japanese Communist Party and supposedly worked hard to increase its popular support.

He died of pneumonia at the end of October 2006; his death was not made public until the end of November 2006. No funeral was held in accordance with his wishes.