James Philip Gabriel, known professionally as Philip Gabriel, is a distinguished American translator and Japanologist. As a full professor and former department chair at the University of Arizona's Department of East Asian Studies, he is widely recognized for his English translations of the works of notable Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami.

Born in Fort Ord, California in 1953, Gabriel embarked on a journey of academic excellence, obtaining an undergraduate degree in Chinese, followed by a Master's in Japanese. His passion for East Asian languages and culture led him to teach in Japan for seven years during the late 1970s and 1980s. Furthering his expertise, he completed a doctorate in Japanese at Cornell University.

Gabriel's contribution to literature extends beyond translation; he is the author of Mad Wives and Island Dreams: Shimao Toshio and the Margins of Japanese Literature. His proficiency in translation has garnered him critical acclaim, including prestigious awards such as the 2001 Sasakawa Prize for Japanese Literature, the 2001 Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature, and the 2006 PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize for Kafka on the Shore.

In addition to his academic roles, Gabriel's translations have graced the pages of The New Yorker, Harper's, and other esteemed publications. He continues to influence the field of Japanese literature as a professor and department head of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.