Which character coined the phrase 'spirit projection' in regards to the trance-like children?

• A. Doctor Shingenori Tsukayama
• B. Kafka
• C. Sakura
• D. Oshima

Answer: (A)

The phrase is tied to a medical professional in the story who uses it to describe a paranormal-tinged phenomenon. He’s the doctor who encounters the trance-like behavior of the children and names what he observes as “spirit projection,” signaling a view that these episodes are more than just ordinary psychology. This character isn’t Kafka, who narrates much of the novel’s journey; nor is it Sakura, whose role is tied to other strands of the plot; nor Oshima, the librarian who contributes philosophical insights. The doctor’s term captures how the narrative threads science, spirituality, and the uncanny together in these moments, which is why he is the one who coins the phrase.