Tetsu Yano

Yano Tetsu (Japanese: 矢野徹, born 10 December 1923, Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture), is a Japanese science-fiction translator and writer. He began to introduce to Japanese readers the works of US science fiction writers in the late 1940s. He was the first Japanese writer of the genre to visit the United States. He took part in founding Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan (SFWJ, 日本SF作家クラブ) in 1963, and served as its president from 1978 to 1979.

Yano grew up in Kobe. After studying at Chuo University for three years, he was drafted into the Japanese Army, serving two years and two months. After the war he made a living collecting trash on a US military base, where he became fascinated with the colorfully-illustrated science fiction works thrown away by the soldiers.

He learned to read English and eventually began translating science fiction. The works of Robert Heinlein, Frederik Pohl, Desmond Bagley, Frank Herbert were among the some 360 translations by him.