The novelist had been shortlisted for Swedish award running in place of scandal-hit honour, but says he wishes to concentrate on writing instead
The Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami has withdrawn from Sweden’s alternative to the Nobel prize for literature, citing a wish to concentrate on his writing.
Established in the wake of the sexual assault scandal that led to the postponement of this year’s literature prize, the New Academy Prize set out to be a “reminder that literature should be associated with democracy, openness, empathy and respect”. Backed by more than 100 Swedish cultural figures, it shortlisted four authors for the award, with Murakami up against the British fantasy author Neil Gaiman, Guadeloupean novelist Maryse Condé and the Vietnam-born Canadian author Kim Thúy. The intention was that an expert jury would announce their winner in October.
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