The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's April 13 issue.
Flipping through pages of an autobiography by Takashi Yanase, who died five years ago at the age of 94, I was surprised anew at the content. According to the book, he finally secured a place in the world of comics with his anime "Anpanman" at around the age of 60.
After quitting work as a salaried worker and setting out on his own at 34, Yanase experienced a series of setbacks. When he won the grand prize in a comics contest with a reward, he jumped for joy. He waited for the publishing company to contact him, but he never heard from them. Even after such repeated disappointments, he does not seem to have become sulky over it.
In the late stage of his life, Yanase also wrote poems.
Speaking of hope, it is a worn-out word that is even used as the name of a political party. But the word being used by Yanase himself, for unknown reasons, gives us a sense of safety and that makes us feel that we can believe in it. It is mid-April. How are those of you who have just become new members of society by starting your first jobs? When you become discouraged, I would like you to find the hope that actually likely exists next to all of you.
In fact, I thought that I would write this essay at a time of the so-called "May disease," [a nervous condition that strikes freshman employees around May immediately after they have started working in society.] It is reported that it was only about two weeks [since a young police officer was assigned to a certain police box.] The youth, who committed an outrageous crime with a gun, is in the newspaper again today. Hope must have existed also next to him.
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