Jan Mitsuko Cash

Jan Mitsuko Cash is an American literary translator and editor whose work has helped bring contemporary Japanese novels, manga, and illustrated books to English-speaking readers. Raised in California with family roots in Okinawa, Japan, she spent time living in Kyoto and Tokyo, experiences that deepened her interest in Japanese language and culture. She studied ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University while also completing certificates in East Asian Studies and Translation and Intercultural Communication before pursuing a career in literary translation and editing.

Cash began her career as an editor before establishing herself as a freelance translator, working with publishers including Viz Media, Yen Press, Seven Seas Entertainment, and Mangamo. She has translated a wide range of manga, light novels, and literary works, including Toradora!, Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, Choujin X, The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store, and Fullmetal Alchemist: A New Beginning. Her work is recognized for preserving the tone, humor, and cultural nuance of the original Japanese while remaining natural and engaging for English-language readers.

Alongside her translation work, Cash has contributed to the publishing industry as an editor, technical writer, and speaker on literary translation. Known for her meticulous research and thoughtful approach to language, she has established herself as one of the leading translators of contemporary Japanese popular fiction and manga into English.