Gulf Crisis, confidential （２０）　

２０) Where-after of Medical attache Dr. B, continued

He didn’t write anything for a while. I heard that he was planning his next work while earning his living with a part-time medical ractice. Several years after he published his first fiction work called "Haretsu" or "Rupture." It was published by Gentosha which was thought to be avant-garde publishing company. In fact, the blurb of the novel was too catchy; One can become a real doctor after killing 3 patients. He started using a pen name, Yo Kusakabe, from the time after this novel. Perhaps he realized he had become a professional novelist. He became one of the top best-selling novelists with his first novel.

Although I envy a little bit his exciting career change, I understand his motivation and appreciate his talent. Nonetheless I have one question about what is written in his first non-fiction, "Taishikan nanka iranai" or "We Don’t Need an Embassy." It describes how the Japanese Medical Team (our group during the Gulf War) didn’t or couldn’t do anything during our stay in Riyadh. The premise of this novel is fine, because it is true. He also wrote that we did nothing but visit hospitals and play tennis. Please accept my strong comment, oh give me a break! That tennis match was a farewell tournament for him which he and his wife enjoyed at that time. I paired with his wife and we won the tournament. I imagine that the editor suggested he write something sensational and he had to accept it. But I wonder that he didn’t expect those of us who were there to read the book.

Despite of this minute complaint, I expect Yo Kusakabe will continue to write good novels.

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