It was at a baseball stadium in April 1978, while watching a match that bestselling Japanese author Haruki Murakami decided to become a writer. "The satisfying crack when the bat met the ball resounded throughout Jingu Stadium. Scattered applause rose around me. In that instant, for no reason and on no grounds whatsoever, the thought suddenly struck me: I think I can write a novel," Murakami wrote in 'The Birth of My Kitchen Table Fiction' in 2015.
It was on his way back home, when Murakami bought a fountain pen for himself and began writing his first book. Six months later, he finished writing his debut novel 'Hear the Wind Sing' and the rest, as they say, is history.
Now, with news of Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, approving the demolishion and redevelopment of a Tokyo park and a baseball stadium is in talks-- the famous Japanese author is opposing it. The reason: The Tokyo park being demolished is Murakami's favourite jogging spot, and the baseball stadium is the one where Murakami decided to become a writer!
“I’m strongly opposed to the Jingu Gaien redevelopment plan... Please leave that pleasant jogging course full of greenery and the lovely Jingu Stadium as it is. Once something is destroyed, it can never be restored,” Murakami said on his radio show on June 25.
Apart from Murakami, many others also opposed and protested against the redevelopment plan over the weekend. 'The first court hearing on a lawsuit to suspend the work will be held later this week,' reported AP.
