Japan Sinks
Japan Sinks (Nippon Chinbotsu) is a disaster novel by Sakyō Komatsu, first published in two volumes by Kōbunsha in Tokyo in 1973. Imagining the Japanese islands sliding into the sea, it sold about four million copies in Japan, won a Seiun Award and was filmed in 1973 and 2006.
- Editions tracked
- 3
- First edition
- Kobunsha, 1973
- First published
- Kōbunsha, Tokyo, 1973
- First UK edition
- New English Library, 1978
The first edition of Japan Sinks by Sakyō Komatsu was published in Tokyo by Kobunsha in 1973. We track 3 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
Later and other editions
- Harper & Row1976 Hardback I own Japan Sinks, Harper & Row 1976 Log in to want this
- New English Library1977 Hardback I own Japan Sinks, New English Library 1977 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- Tidal Wave film, 1973
- Japan Sinks film, 2006
- Japan Sinks: 2020 adaptation, 2020
- Nihon Chinbotsu desu yo game, 2025
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Kumamoto, Japan
- Genre
- thriller, science fiction
In print
- Editions recorded
- 5 on Open Library, 4 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 15 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Questions about Japan Sinks
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Japan Sinks?
The first edition of Japan Sinks by Sakyō Komatsu was published in Tokyo by Kobunsha in 1973.
How many editions of Japan Sinks are there?
We track 3 editions of Japan Sinks, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has Japan Sinks been adapted?
Yes, including Nihon Chinbotsu desu yo (game, 2025), Japan Sinks: 2020 (adaptation, 2020), Japan Sinks (film, 2006), according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- Japan Sinks, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Komatsu Sakyo, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (sf-encyclopedia.com)
- Japan Sinks, Open Library (openlibrary.org)
- Japan Sinks, Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 28 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.