Kishida Kunio

(1890-1954). Playwright. Helped raise the standards of modern theater in Japan during the period before World War II. Born in Tokyo. Graduated from the Army Academy in 1912 and studied in Paris with the celebrated French director Jacques Copeau in 1921-22. Kishida can well be credited with the creation of stage dialogue in modern Japanese theater; his plays are eloquent and wholly colloquial. Notable works include short poetic sketches Chiroru no aki (1924; tr Autumn in the Tyrol, 1968) and Kamifūsen (1925; tr A Paper Balloon, 1965), and longer comedies such as Ochiba nikki (1927; tr Fallen Leaves, a Diary, 1961) and Sawa shi no futari musume (1935, Mr. Sawa's Two Daughters). (adapted from Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Tokyo: Kodansha, 1993)