石黑一雄與日本的關系被評論界反復強化,尤其圍繞其早期兩部日本題材小說《遠山淡影》和《浮世畫家》中關于日本以及日本性的表征。當西方評論者過分強調石黑一雄早期作品的日本性時,日本早期評論家恰恰相反,他們放大石黑一雄缺乏"局內人"知識的缺陷。針對評論界對石黑一雄早期作品中日本元素的爭議,本文從小說對日本地理的想象性圖繪、跨語言和跨文化轉化過程中的"重新導入"、以及對日本藝術家戰爭責任的反思三個方面來探討石黑一雄與想象的日本和日本性的關系,以此來質疑西方學界對其小說中關于日本和日本性的假設,并由此揭示出小說的非日本書寫性質。

Kazuo Ishiguro’s affinity with Japan has been reiterated again and again by western literary critics, especially his representation of Japan and Japaneseness in two of his early novels, A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World. Japanese commentators, on the contrary, used to zoom in on his lack of "insider" knowledge as a flaw. Addressing the debate, this article explores Ishiguro’s imaginary Japan and its constructed Japaneseness from three aspects: imaginary Japanese topography, "re-importation" in the process of cross-lingual and cross-cultural transformation, and inadequate reflection on Japanese artists’ war responsibility. Questioning western scholars’ assump-tions about Japan and Japaneseness in Ishiguro’s novels, this article further reveals the non-Japanese nature of his writings.