Waseda University Alumnus and UNIQLO Founder Tadashi Yanai to Make a Personal Donation of 1.2 Billion Yen to Establish the Murakami Library
Fri, Nov 29, 2019-
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Tadashi Yanai, Waseda alumnus, and UNIQLO Founder and Chairman, President and CEO of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., will donate approximately 1.2 billion yen to his alma mater to establish the Waseda International House of Literature (Murakami Library).
Scheduled to open in April 2021, the Murakami Library will house the personal archive of writer and alumnus Haruki Murakami. The library will serve as a place for open cultural exchange, where literary enthusiasts from all over the world may come together to interact and study the works of Murakami.
In support of the effort by Waseda University to promote Japanese culture and literature globally, Yanai’s generous personal donation will cover the full cost of the renovation of Building No. 4 on the Waseda Campus, the future Murakami Library. The architect tasked to redesign Building No. 4 is Kengo Kuma.
A press conference is scheduled to take place in February 2020 where Haruki Murakami, Tadashi Yanai and Kengo Kuma will all attend. Details about the Murakami Library including the design, concept and structure will be provided at that time.