Kanae Minato

Writing

Kanae Minato

Born January 1, 1973 · Innoshima, Hiroshima, Japan (age 53)

Minato Kanae is a Japanese writer of crime fiction and thrillers. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan and the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. She started writing in her thirties. Her first novel Confessions became a bestseller and won the Japanese Booksellers Award. In youth, she was an avid fan of mystery novels of Edogawa Ranpo, Maurice Leblanc, Agatha Christie, Keigo Higash…

Known For

ConfessionsConfessions · 2010
Confessions
7.62010
MovieDramaThriller
Devastated at the death of her four-year-old daughter, a grieving middle school teacher is horrified to discover that her students aren't as innocent as she thinks.
The Snow White Murder CaseThe Snow White Murder Case · 2014
The Snow White Murder Case
6.42014
MovieDramaMystery
A beautiful cosmetics company employee is found dead in a gruesome state. What's more, it becomes apparent that one of the victim's colleagues, a homely woman named Miki, has gone missing. Television director Akaboshi attempts to interview as many of Miki's friends and acquaintances as he can find, eliciting miscellaneous information from them.
Cry OutCry Out · 2026
Cry Out
2026
MovieDrama
Akiko, a girl living a hard life after her father passes away and her mother's new boyfriend turns abusive, starts receiving encouraging letters from her 30-year-old-future self. Akiko also starts to get bullied in school, and her teacher Shinomiya tries to help her, but ends up losing her job. Akiko also unearths a story written to her by her father, telling her how he originally met her mother, who was the abused daughter of a politician.
MotherhoodMotherhood · 2022
Motherhood
7.42022
MovieDramaMystery
Sayaka, a high school student, kills herself but the reason behind her suicide is unknown. She appeared to have led a normal life with her family. Her mother Rumiko seemed to have raised Sayaka with love and care. In reality, that does not seem to be the case. When the mother and daughter recall the same incidents that took place in the past, they tell very different stories.
A Chorus of AngelsA Chorus of Angels · 2012
A Chorus of Angels
7.12012
MovieDramaMystery
Teacher Kawashima Haru takes a position on a remote island off the coast of Hokkaido, where she takes charge of six students. However, she is later forced to leave after an accident occurs. 20 years later, Haru learns that one of her former students has committed a crime, and eventually returns to the island once more.
PenancePenance · 2013
Penance
7.12013
MovieDrama
The murder of a young girl leaves the inhabitants of a small Japanese village in shock. The body of Emili is found by four classmates with whom she was playing. The murder is never solved. Emili's mother, Asako, is torn by grief and puts a curse on the four girls when they claim not to remember the killer's face. Each of the girls, in their own way, will do penance for their silence.
Night's TightropeNight's Tightrope · 2016
Night's Tightrope
7.22016
MovieDramaThriller
Yuki is a 2nd year high school student. She volunteers at a paediatrics ward for her summer vacation, because she wants to witness the moment a person dies. She got that thought after feeling envious of a transfer student's story of seeing a friend's dead body. Yuki has friend named Atsuko. She was bullied in the past and has anxiety issues. She volunteers at a nursing home for her summer vacation, hoping that she will gain courage if she sees the moment a person dies.
Chain of FlowersChain of Flowers · 2013
Chain of Flowers
5.52013
Movie
Based upon the novel by Minato Kanae. The story is about three women who all live in the same countryside town but who never interact with one another even though they are all tied by the same tragedy. While newly-unemployed Rika tries to get her ailing grandmother to take a needed surgery, she also struggles to come up with the money to pay for it. A mysterious benefactor known to her only as "K" might be able to help, but her grandmother is steadfast in telling her to decline it. As Rika searches for clues as to who this "K" is, she increasingly finds that she and two other women are linked not only by a tragedy but a chain of flowers as well.

Filmography

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The Exchange LetterThe Exchange Letter · 2016
The Exchange Letter
2016
MovieMystery
Mariko Okano’s boyfriend Junichi Nagata leaves suddenly to become a volunteer teacher in a remote country. Mariko and Junichi’s families are both left wondering why he departed so quickly, without discussing his plans with them first. The next day, a woman’s charred body is discovered in a warehouse. The woman turns out to be Ayako Oshima, the mother of a student who was suspected of arson in a warehouse blaze 15 years ago. Oddly, Mariko had been trapped in that warehouse fire with another student, but was saved by Junichi. However, the other student died in the blaze. Soon after, Mariko receives a letter from Junichi, in which he confesses to a crime Mariko was not aware of. Are the two fires related? And what was the crime Junichi confessed to?

Original Story