Keigo Higashino, the acclaimed Japanese mystery fiction author, died of colon (colorectal) cancer in the early morning of July 23, 2026, at age 68 [1, 2, 3]. His death was publicly announced on July 27 via his official X social media account [4, 5, 2, 3]. Born in 1958 in Osaka, Higashino initially worked as an electrical engineer before becoming a full-time writer [6, 4, 2].
He debuted in 1985 with the novel "After School" (Hokago), which won the 31st Edogawa Rampo Prize, marking the start of his prolific literary career [6, 4, 2]. Over four decades, Higashino authored 106 books, many of which were translated into over 40 languages and adapted for film and television, reaching a wide international audience [4, 1, 2]. By 2023, his works had sold more than 100 million copies in Japan alone [4, 2].
His most famous work internationally, "The Devotion of Suspect X," won both the Naoki Prize and the Honkaku Mystery Award in 2006, securing his reputation globally [6, 4, 2]. Higashino served as president of the Mystery Writers of Japan from 2009 to 2013, contributing actively to the literary community [4]. His books enjoy broad popularity across Asia, including China and South Korea, and maintain a strong presence on social media platforms [2, 3].
Naoki Hyakuta, a former novelist and politician, said Higashino "understood what a story is, and what excellent writing is" [2]. Higashino himself once remarked, "Some writers aim to move their readers, others want to write beautiful sentences. I want readers to be continually surprised by my ideas" [4].
His funeral was held privately, respecting the family's wishes [4, 5]. Higashino's final book, "Eternal Memory," is scheduled for posthumous release on August 5, 2026 [4, 2].
