Japan Fantasy Novel Award

The Japan Fantasy Novel Award (日本ファンタジーノベル大賞, Nihon Fantashī Noberu Taishō) is an annual award which began in 1989 and is sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun and Shimizu Corporation with the backing of publisher Shinchōsha. The winner gets a contract to have their unpublished work published by Shinchōsha and receives ¥5 million. The contest is open to anyone, whether an already published author or not. Past winners include Riku Onda, Fuyumi Ono and Ken'ichi Sakemi. Kōji Suzuki, known for his Ring series, was later one of the selectors for this award, although he did not win the grand prize. It ceased being awarded after 2013, its twenty-fifth year, but started again in 2017.

From the Wikipedia article “Japan Fantasy Novel Award”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Check the official rules of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.