VOL.93/2026.04

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On the Japanese Publication of Even a Corpse Is Fine - "Just Stay by My Side: The Psychology of Evil and Loneliness"

 

 

2026.03

 

 

My first encounter with this book happened during an exchange event with Korean publishers. When I reviewed the content, I immediately realized that it was a powerful work of nonfiction: a deep and unflinching examination of criminal psychology, written from the perspective of a professional profiler who had worked directly on real investigation scenes. This combination of universality and firsthand insight drew me in at once.

 

In Japan, each time a brutal crime makes headlines, public discourse quickly turns to the question: "Why did this happen?" Yet the psychological factors underlying such acts are rarely explored in depth. In that context, a book in which a field expert carefully unpacks the "psychology of evil"based on actual experience offers something genuinely meaningful to Japanese readers. That is why I strongly wished to take on the Japanese edition.

 

The Japanese title, "Even a Corpse Is Fine—Just Stay by My Side," comes from a statement made by one of the criminals featured in the book when speaking about his childhood. Although the expression is undeniably provocative, it reveals a profound loneliness and a distorted craving for affection. I felt it captured the essence of the entire work, and thus chose it as the title.

 

 

The response in Japan was remarkable. Even before the book’s release, an initial social media post announcing it received several thousand "likes." After publication, a major Japanese online media outlet featured an excerpt, which reached the number-one position in its access rankings. Many readers commented that the book showed them "a world I had never known before."

 

Indeed, the offenders’ words are selfish, unsettling, and filled with a level of isolation that refuses to let the reader remain in a psychological comfort zone. Yet I believe that very discomfort is the unique power of this book—and a testament to the strength of contemporary Korean nonfiction.

 

Perhaps Japan and Korea share certain underlying social anxieties or feelings of isolation. Whatever the case, I sincerely hope this book will continue to reach many readers as a work that connects audiences in both countries.

 

(Reference: Although posted from an account separate from Daiwashobo’s official one, a social-media announcement about the book received an especially strong reaction.)

 

 

 

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Written by Shô Deguchi(Editor, Daiwashobo Publishing)