Haruki Murakami calls for park and stadium that inspired his writing to be saved

Ginkgo trees at an area known as Jingu Gaien in Tokyo (AP)

Author Haruki Murakami has said he is strongly opposed to the redevelopment of a historic Tokyo park district that would remove his favourite jogging path and tear down the baseball stadium where he was inspired to become a novelist.

The plan approved earlier this year by Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike to put skyscrapers and new stadiums in the heart of the Jingu Gaien green district has become increasingly controversial.