Tanaka Chikao was a Japanese playwright, director, and scholar of French literature born in Nagasaki, Japan. He was a member of the Japan Art Academy.

He graduated from the Department of French Literature at Keio University Faculty of Letters after attending the former Nagasaki Prefectural Nagasaki High School.

During his university years, he joined the "Shingeki Kenkyujo". His graduation thesis focused on the French playwright Paul Géraldy.

In 1932, he participated in the inaugural issue of "Gekisaku", and served as its de facto editor-in-chief. In 1934, he married the playwright Tanaka Sumie. Also in 1934, he began directing.

In his later years, he became a member of the editing committee for the "Kishida Kunio Complete Works".

In 1937, he participated in the establishment of the Bungakuza Theater Company but left in 1944. During the war, he evacuated to Hiroshima Prefecture and ceased writing. After the war, he resumed his activities. In 1951, he became a member of the directing department of the Haiyuuza theater company.

(Source: Japanese = Wikipedia || Translation = kisskh) Edit Biography