Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami dies aged 74

Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami has died aged 74. He died on 17 October at his home, according to The Guardian. His Japanese publisher Gentosha announced the death, and Jiji Press also reported it. Born in Sasebo, Nagasaki prefecture, in 1952, he debuted in 1976 with Almost Transparent Blue and wrote more than 40 novels and story collections, including Audition.