I don't know where becoming a writer ranks in kids’ dream jobs today. Limited to the arts, however, it might be lower than a musician but higher than a poet. For three years, I've been a member of the committee for
the Yumiko Kurahashi Literary Award and have read almost a hundred works which have been sent in by students as competition entries. This year, the grand prize went to "Toboso," a weird story written by Shunsuke Igisu, who among all the applicants has, I believe, the greatest sense of music and poetry in his skillful usage of language. I don't know if he dreamt of becoming a writer when he was a kid, but I'd really like to celebrate the appearance of new talent which will inspire future writers.
