151: Haruki Murakami’s new novel. Plus, allegations resurface in J-pop.

Last month, it was announced that Haruki Murakami would release a new full-length novel. True fans, also known as “Harukists” may note that the title for the upcoming work is the same as one of the author’s past “failures.” Harukist Daniel Morales joins the show to decipher clues as to what is going on. Later, Patrick St. Michel and Shaun McKenna discuss their thoughts on a BBC documentary on controversial J-pop titan Johnny Kitagawa. 

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 

Shaun McKenna: Twitter | Instagram

Daniel Morales: Articles | Twitter | TikTok

Patrick St. Michel: Articles | Twitter | Substack

Read more/Hear more: 

What to prepare for when you’re expecting one of Murakami’s mammoths (Daniel Morales, The Japan Times)

Conquering ‘Commendatore’: Murakami brandishes familiar lexicon in latest novel (Daniel Morales, The Japan Times)

The guilt of fatherhood helped shape Kenzaburo Oe’s literary vision (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times)

How To Japanese podcast (Daniel Morales)

Johnny Kitagawa: The mogul who defined and controlled Japan’s entertainment industry (Patrick St. Michel, The Japan Times)

Deep Dive: The Death of Johnny Kitagawa, J-pop’s puppet master (Oscar Boyd, Patrick St. Michel, W. David Marx)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! 

Photo: Novelist Haruki Murakami (right) receives an award for artistic contribution at Waseda University in 2021. | KYODO