As requested by International Creative Management of New York which represents Haruki Murakami, I have removed all of the posts of my translation of Murakami Asahidô.

   I extend my sincerest apologies to both Messrs. Murakami and Watanabe (aka Anzai Mizumaru). I meant no disrespect to either man, both of whose work I hold in the highest esteem.

   That said, I find it a great shame that Murakami'scollection of essays have not yet been translated into English. They offer great insight into the author's background and the development of his career, insight which many fans, including myself, would be eager to have. The essays also show another, more playful side of Murakami which readers in Japan have long known, but the outside world has not been privy to because of the language barrier. 

   My first exposure to Murakami was through his essays over ten years ago. Murakami's Asahido no Gyakushu was in fact the first book I managed to read cover to cover in Japanese. No mean feat, yes, but made all the more pleasurable because of the humorous nature of Murakami's essays. Ever since then, I have wanted to translate the essay collections. I still am very much interested in doing so.

   If anyone out there in Cyberspace knows how I might gain authorization to translate Murakami's essay collections, I am all ears.