Set in a Japanese hospital during the last days of World War II, the story centers on the medical staff who offer to assist in a series of vivisections—experimental operations on live U.S. prisoners of war. The Sea and Poison won the Akutagawa Prize when it was published in Japan in 1958 and established Shusaku Endo in the forefront of modern Japanese literature. Today it remains as startling and, sadly, as relevant as ever.