Takuro Morinaga’s Cry of the Soul: “I’m not dead yet! Japanese stocks will crash soon!”
Takuro Morinaga, who announced his stage 4 pancreatic cancer last December, talks about his "present" and "the future of Japan" in the midst of his battle with the disease.
“At the end of last year, when I announced my stage 4 pancreatic cancer, I was mentally prepared to die in about a week. But now, I have an appetite, and I’m hosting five regular radio shows, with 19 serialized columns.”
Says Takuro Morinaga (66), an economic analyst. Though he looks a bit worn out, once he starts talking, the ‘Morinaga style’ is as lively as ever.
“I found a shadow during a health check-up in November last year. After several tests, it seemed likely to be pancreatic cancer. My primary doctor also said, ‘You might not see the cherry blossoms next year.’ However, I was skeptical, so I sought a third opinion. Eventually, since three top professionals said the same thing, I had no choice but to believe it. So, on December 27th, I started chemotherapy.”
However, this medication didn’t suit him.
“The day before, I was walking and talking normally, but two days after starting chemotherapy, I couldn’t stand, couldn’t eat, and couldn’t think straight. At that time, I felt like I could clearly see the River Styx.”
During this period, Morinaga was working on his book ‘What Not to Write: The Truth Behind Japan’s Economic Collapse’ (published by Sangosha), and had nearly completed 90% of it.
“I wanted to finish it, but I couldn’t think properly, and my hands wouldn’t move. I was in trouble. However, a few days later, when I tried a different medication, I dramatically recovered. My mind and mouth started working again. I continued speaking from my bed, recorded it, and my IT technician son transcribed it into text, completing the book.”
“I can’t die until I finish it.”
This book can be considered a sequel to last year’s “The Truth About Zaimukyo,” criticizing the media’s attitude of not reporting the truth due to excessive consideration towards politicians, bureaucrats, and even entertainment agencies. It candidly reveals the reasons behind this.
“It was released on March 7th. Since the initial print run was 40,000 copies, the president of the publishing company said he was ‘trembling’ a bit,” Morinaga explains with a laugh. “But already, it has been reprinted four times and now stands at 75,000 copies. As doctors say, no one dies from eating too much, right?” he chuckles. “Conversely, when one loses hope or a sense of purpose, they die. In other words, the moment when one thinks ‘I’m done’ is the end. I had a strong desire to publish this book no matter what, so I couldn’t die. When you have nothing left in your heart, you tend to think ‘I might as well be dead.’ That’s why it’s good to have something like that for support.”
