Alfred Birnbaum is an American translator renowned for his extensive work in literary and cultural translation. Born in 1955, Birnbaum spent the majority of his childhood in Japan, having moved there at the age of five. He pursued his studies at Waseda University in Tokyo under the auspices of a scholarship from the Japanese Ministry of Education. Since 1980, Birnbaum has established himself as a freelance translator with a particular focus on Japanese literature.

Between March 1977 and June 1979, Birnbaum collaborated with William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi on rigorous field research and translation projects in Japan, which primarily centered around the traditional Japanese food products natto, hamanatto, and Daitokuji natto. The outcomes of these studies were later disseminated by the Soyinfo Center located in Lafayette, California.

In the 1990s, Birnbaum's scholarly interests led him to Yangon, where he played a crucial role in the documentation of the city's architectural heritage, at a time when it was facing the threat of destruction or replacement. His efforts in Myanmar extended to the translation realm as well, where, in collaboration with his wife Thi Thi Aye, he translated 'Smile as They Bow' by Nu Nu Yi from Burmese into English.

Perhaps most notably, Birnbaum's translations of Haruki Murakami's works, including such titles as 'Hear the Wind Sing', 'Pinball, 1973', 'Norwegian Wood', 'A Wild Sheep Chase', 'Dance Dance Dance', 'Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World', and 'Underground', have significantly contributed to the global reach of Murakami's novels. Additionally, he has translated 'All She Was Worth' by Miyabe Miyuki, and 'A Burden of Flowers' by Natsuki Ikezawa, which has earned him considerable acclaim. Birnbaum is also credited with compiling 'Monkey Brain Sushi: New Tastes in Japanese Fiction', a compilation of short stories.

Outside of his translation work, Birnbaum has been an influential figure in the visual and performing arts scene in Japan, reflecting his deep ties and prolonged engagement with the country since his youth.