That's what the world is , after all: an endless battle of contrasting memories.

When I write a novel I put into play all the information inside me. It might be Japanese information or it might be Western; I don't draw a distinction between the two.

When someone is trying very hard to get something, they don't. And when they're running away from something as hard as they can, it usually catches up with them.

Unclose your mind. You are not a prisoner. You are a bird in flight, searching the skies for dreams.

At least he never walked.

Some people think literature is high culture and that it should only have a small readership. I don't think so... I have to compete with popular culture, including TV, magazines, movies and video games.

No matter what they wish for, no matter how far they go, people can never be anything but themselves. That's all.