A 38-year-old first-time writer is the winner of the 157th Akutagawa Prize for his story "Eiri," the awards selection committee announced Wednesday.
"It's a great honor, I've only written one work so far. I'll keep up the good work," said Shinsuke Numata during a news conference held at a restaurant in Tokyo's Chuo Ward soon after the announcement.
The story is a fictional tale depicting people's lives in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake.