I studied Japanese lit as well as CS in college so I've read a bunch of his stuff in english and japanese. This is one of his better short stories in a while. If anyone is looking for something international by him I recommend Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World ( http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Boiled-Wonderland-End-World-Inter... ). Read it in your first language: you're missing nothing. It's one of the best Japanese -> English translations I've ever seen.

Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Boiled-Wonderland-End-World-Inter...