Shaun Tandon, writing for the French news agency AFP out of its Tokyo bureau, notes in a recent dispatch that Haruki Murakami has been translated into over 35 languages worldwide, with even a marijuana-laced cocktail at a Moscow pub inspired by his work. Tandon notes:

Even though his mother tongue dominates only one country, Murakami’s sensitive tales of the absurdities and loneliness of modern life have struck a powerful global chord.

Last weekend in Tokyo, in an attempt to understand the global Murakami sensation, translators of his work from 13 countries gathered to talk shop and share translation stories. The symposium, which the always elusive Murakami did not attend since he is living in the USA this year, was held at the University of Tokyo and attracted such translators as Jay Rubin from Harvard, Lai Ming-chu, a Taiwanese who has translated more than 30 Murakami works into Chinese, Russian translator Dmitry Kovalenin, Danish translator Mette Holm, and French translator Corinne Atlan.

Note: Later this year, Murakami will be awarded the ”Frank Kafka literature award” in Prague. And the last two recipients both won the Nobel Prize shortly afterward. So it might be Murakami’s turn this fall. Stay tuned.