Haruki Murakami to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Murakami fans. Speculation had been rife that the author of Norwegian Wood will announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 77, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 01/05/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an author isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an author just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouHaruki

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouHaruki was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouHaruki.”
— @DesireePlum, 30 Apr 2026

“Didn't Haruki Murakami retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 30 Apr 2026

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