TOKYO, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Renowned Japanese mystery writer Keigo Higashino died of colon cancer on July 23 at the age of 68, public broadcaster NHK reported Monday.

Higashino was born in 1958 in Osaka Prefecture and studied electrical engineering at Osaka Prefecture University.

In 1985, he won the Edogawa Rampo Prize for "After School," which was published as his debut novel in the same year.

In 1999, Higashino received the Mystery Writers of Japan Award for the work "Naoko," followed by the Naoki Prize in 2006 for "The Devotion of Suspect X."

According to Japanese media, Higashino published his 100th book in 2023. By that time, the cumulative sales of his works in Japan had surpassed 100 million copies. His books have been published in 41 countries and regions worldwide. ■