Direct quote 1999
“I'd love to make a game based on one of Kobo Abe's novels though. I've also been thinking about saving up some money and trying to buy the rights to Yojimbo from Toho Cinema.”
What it documents
In 1999 Kojima said he would love to make a game based on a novel or other work, though it is difficult because ultimately games are about gameplay; he specified he would love to make a game from one of Kōbō Abe’s novels and added that he had been thinking of saving up money and trying to buy the rights to Yojimbo from Toho.
Source
shmuplations.com; Kojima × Tsukamoto conversation in Game Hihyou magazine (1999), unofficial English translation. View source ↗
“I want to make a game based on a novel or other work, but it's difficult. [...] Ultimately, games are all about the gameplay.”