Kafka on the Shore

Both Knopf (US) and The Harvill Press (London, UK) issued first English editions in January 2005 and are effectively simultaneous — precedence is not reliably established in the sources consulted, so the earlier claim that the US Knopf 'precedes' the UK edition cannot be supported. The dated evidence in fact leans the other way: the US Knopf on-sale date was 18 January 2005, while the UK Harvill Press hardcover is catalogued in early January 2005 (recorded as 6 January). Harvill issued the trade hardcover alongside signed limited issues of 1,000 and 100 copies. The Japanese original, Umibe no Kafuka, was published by Shinchosha in 2002.