Kansai University Supports Young Novelists: Applications Open for 2026 Oda Sakunosuke Seishun Prize

The Oda Sakunosuke Prize Executive Committee, composed of four organizations including Kansai University, is accepting submissions for the 'Oda Sakunosuke Seishun Prize'—a competition targeting short stories written by young people aged 24 and under—from June 6 (Sat) to August 31 (Mon).

Key Highlights: - Call for submissions for the 2026 'Oda Sakunosuke Seishun Prize' is now open. - Target audience: Young writers aged 24 and under. The 2025 competition received 285 submissions from across Japan. - Hosted by an executive committee including Kansai University, Osaka City, and The Mainichi Shimbun.

The Oda Sakunosuke Prize was established to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the birth of Osaka-born author Sakunosuke Oda. It consists of two categories: the 'Oda Sakunosuke Prize' for published books, and the 'Seishun Prize' for unpublished works by authors aged 24 and under. The Seishun Prize has gained increasing attention as a public competition that supports young writers, primarily university and high school students. In 2025, it received 285 entries, with Nanami Takahashi emerging as the winner. Winning works are published in the literary magazine 'Mita Bungaku'.

Significance of Kansai University's Involvement: Kansai University has had faculty from its Faculty of Literature involved in the selection process since the inception of the Oda Sakunosuke Prize. Since the creation of the Seishun Prize in 2006, the university has officially joined as a hosting organization. As a university born and raised in Osaka, Kansai University aims to create opportunities for young people to engage with text and to help convey the charm of reading through its participation in managing this award.

Overview of the 2026 'Oda Sakunosuke Seishun Prize':

Award: Certificate, 300,000 yen, and a commemorative gift. *An additional Encouragement Prize may be awarded to exceptional works by applicants aged 18 and under.

Submission Guidelines: Unpublished short stories by authors aged 24 and under as of the end of August 2026 (subject and genre are free). Works containing text generated by AI (such as ChatGPT) are ineligible. Applications should generally be made via the official application form.

Deadline: August 31 (Mon) *For postal submissions, the postmark on the day is valid.

Announcement: Around December 2026.

Selection Committee: Kaori Fujino (Author), Shuko Masuda (Professor, Faculty of Literature, Kansai University), K-Sanzou Matsunaga (Author).

Organizer: Oda Sakunosuke Prize Executive Committee (Osaka City, Osaka Literary Promotion Association, Kansai University, The Mainichi Shimbun).