Author, playwright, theatre director and translator, Roger's novels in both Japanese and English include The Death of Urashima Taro, General Yamashita's Treasure, The Honey and the Fires and The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn. He has also published many works of nonfiction, including The Unmaking of an American and, more recently, If There Were No Japan.

Roger's plays have been performed extensively in Japan, Australia and the U.S. He was assistant director to Nagisa Oshima on "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence." In 2010-'11, he hosted and wrote the popular NHK television show, "Gift E-meigen no Sekai."
Prizes and honors include the Crystal Simorgh Prize for Best Script at the 27th Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran for "Ashita e no Yuigon" and the Miyazawa Kenji Prize in 2008. In 2009, he received the Award of Commendation from the Cultural Affairs Agency (Bunkacho) for contributing to the propagation of Japanese culture overseas.