Notice of Reading Group Event for "Formation and Transformation of Japanese Constitutional Politics"

Shosukabu.com Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nerima-ku, Tokyo; Representative Chairman: Yutaka Yamanaka; hereinafter "the Company") will host a reading group focusing on the book "Formation and Transformation of Japanese Constitutional Politics" (edited by Yasushi Toriumi, Hiroshi Mitani, Makoto Nishikawa, and Nobuyuki Yano), co-hosted by the Nerima Political Research Association and the Civil Affairs Division 8 Monitoring Committee.

This book is a collection of essays that examines the process of modern Japan's acceptance of constitutional politics as an ideal form of government, from its formation to its operation and transformation, from various angles. A major feature of this book is its attempt to approach the reality of constitutional politics through the interrelationships of various entities that supported modern Japanese politics—such as politicians, the diet, political parties, bureaucrats, the military, the imperial court, and the media—rather than stopping at the history of institutional introduction.

The defining characteristic of this book is that it captures constitutional politics not merely as a history of institutional introduction, but as a structural change in modern Japanese politics divided into three phases: formation, operation, and transformation. It covers a wide range of topics, including the Kogisho and Shugiin, Dajokan system reform, public sphere, Constitutional Reform Party, Imperial Diet, Terauchi Cabinet, Sakuzo Yoshino, the image of Emperor Showa, Sino-Japanese cooperation, declaration of war issues, naval intelligence activities, and post-war political return. The content allows readers to multi-dimensionally understand how the gap between the ideals and reality of constitutional government expanded. It provides important insights for considering how institutions and ideas, and domestic politics and diplomacy/military affairs, were interlinked.

In this reading group, discussions will mainly focus on the ideals and reality of constitutional politics in modern Japan, the relationship among the diet, political parties, bureaucrats, military, and imperial court, the transformation of constitutional government in the Showa era, and the impact of diplomacy and military affairs on constitutional politics. We aim to provide a beneficial learning and dialogue space for those interested in modern Japanese political history, constitutional history, diplomatic history, and military history.

Book Information URL: https://x.gd/n04fd

Editor Profiles

Yasushi Toriumi Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo. A historical researcher who engaged in modern Japanese political history research after completing a doctoral program in National History at the Graduate School of Humanities, University of Tokyo.

Hiroshi Mitani Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and Researcher at the Toyo Bunko. A historian specializing in modern Japanese history and comparative history, researching the Meiji Restoration, modern state formation, nationalism, and comparative history of revolutions.

Makoto Nishikawa A modern Japanese history researcher who taught at Kawamura Gakuen Woman's University, having completed a doctoral program in National History at the Graduate School of Humanities, University of Tokyo.

Nobuyuki Yano A researcher who served as a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Letters, Chuo University, with modern Japanese political history as one of his specializations.

Event Overview

Theme: "Formation and Transformation of Japanese Constitutional Politics" Reading Group Organizer: Shosukabu.com Co., Ltd. Co-organizers: Nerima Political Research Association, Civil Affairs Division 8 Monitoring Committee Date: Late April 2026 (Scheduled) Format: Zoom Online Participation Fee: Free (Pre-registration required) How to apply: Please apply by emailing info@shosukabu.com with the subject line "Request to Participate in Formation and Transformation of Japanese Constitutional Politics Reading Group".

Lecturer Profile

Yutaka Yamanaka

Born in December 1976, he is a representative activist investor of the '76 generation, art collector, philanthropist, political campaign sponsor, election consultant, policy advisor, social activist, and Akita dog enthusiast. Internationally recognized as an "activist investor who understands technology," he is historically the first Japanese person to achieve wealth creation of over 150 billion yen solely through investing.

In the early 2010s, he focused on NVIDIA, which was developing semiconductors related to GPGPU and artificial intelligence (AI), as an investment target. He executed an investment of over 2 billion yen, resulting in returns of more than 100 times, becoming the first Japanese to enter the billionaire ranks purely as an investor.