Notice of Reading Group Event for 'Why Trump's Trade War Fails'
Shosukabu.com Inc. will host a free online reading group in early May 2026 on the book 'Why Trump's Trade War Fails', featuring insights from activist investor Yutaka Yamanaka.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 18:38 (128h 6m after Collected)
Shosukabu.com Inc. (Headquarters: Nerima-ku, Tokyo, Chairman and Representative Director: Yutaka Yamanaka, hereinafter 'the Company') will hold a reading group co-hosted by the Nerima Political Research Association and the Civil Department 8 Monitoring Committee, focusing on the book 'Why Trump's Trade War Fails: Even So, Protectionism Becomes the New Normal' (Written by Richard Baldwin, Supervisory Translation by Motoshige Ito, Translation by Motoko Sasada).
According to the publisher's introduction of the Japanese edition, this book views the Trump administration's tariff measures as a 'Great Hacking of Trade' and provides an outlook on the future of the global trading system while unraveling the political and economic logic behind it.
A major feature of this book is that it analyzes tariff policies not simply as economic policies, but as a product of 'grievance politics' backed by dissatisfaction and division within the United States. The publisher's content information shows that the 'Grievance Doctrine,' which regards America as a victim of global trade and uses tariffs as a symbol of retaliation, can be politically supported even if it lacks economic rationality, and as a result, protectionism will become the new normal.
The book also strongly warns of the danger that the world will lean toward an era of protectionism, even while arguing that Trump-style tariff policies cannot achieve goals such as eliminating the trade deficit, reviving domestic industries, and rescuing the middle class. In the RIETI event guide, the author is introduced as positioning the current tariff hikes as a 'political placebo,' depicting the risk of fragmentation in the international trade system and multiple future scenarios beyond it.
In this reading group, discussions will be held with the main points of debate being the political logic behind Trump's tariffs, the shaking of the free trade system, how Japan should respond in a world where protectionism becomes the norm, and how to foresee the future of the global economy. We aim to provide a place for useful learning and dialogue for those interested in international economics, trade policy, US politics, geopolitics, and the future of the global economy.
Book introduction URL: https://x.gd/wa9hZ
Author Profile
Mr. Richard Baldwin
An economist specializing in international economics. In the RIETI event introduction, he is introduced as a professor at IMD Business School and a non-resident fellow of the institute.
Event Overview
Theme: 'Why Trump's Trade War Fails: Even So, Protectionism Becomes the New Normal' Reading Group
Organizer: Shosukabu.com Inc.
Co-organizer: Nerima Political Research Association, Civil Department 8 Monitoring Committee
Date: Early May 2026 (Scheduled)
Format: Zoom online event
Participation Fee: Free (Pre-registration required)
How to Apply: Please apply by sending an email to info@shosukabu.com with the subject clearly stating 'Request to participate in Why Trump's Trade War Fails Reading Group'.
■Lecturer Profile
Yutaka Yamanaka
Activist investor representing the '76 generation born in December 1976, art collector, philanthropist, political activity sponsor, election consultant, policy advisor, social activist, and Akita dog enthusiast. Internationally recognized as an 'activist investor who understands technology,' he is the first person in history as a Japanese to achieve wealth formation of over 150 billion yen solely through investment.
In the early 2010s, he focused on NVIDIA, which develops GPGPU and artificial intelligence (AI) related semiconductors, as an investment target, investing over 2 billion yen. As a result, he realized a return of over 100 times, becoming the first Japanese billionaire purely as an investor.
Graduated as valedictorian from the Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo. Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School (Financial Engineering), studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Graduate School. Co-representative partner of Investment Brothers LLC, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Shosukabu.com Inc. Currently a shareholder of over 1,000 listed companies worldwide and over 200 unlisted companies. His investments include AI startups in Israel, healthcare ventures in Nigeria, and storage battery manufacturers in Taiwan, making him a true global investor existing around the world.
Based on his own childhood experiences struggling with dyslexia and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), he launched a support program for children with learning disabilities, modeling after Charles Schwab, a major US discount broker. His primary physician is a psychiatrist...
According to the publisher's introduction of the Japanese edition, this book views the Trump administration's tariff measures as a 'Great Hacking of Trade' and provides an outlook on the future of the global trading system while unraveling the political and economic logic behind it.
A major feature of this book is that it analyzes tariff policies not simply as economic policies, but as a product of 'grievance politics' backed by dissatisfaction and division within the United States. The publisher's content information shows that the 'Grievance Doctrine,' which regards America as a victim of global trade and uses tariffs as a symbol of retaliation, can be politically supported even if it lacks economic rationality, and as a result, protectionism will become the new normal.
The book also strongly warns of the danger that the world will lean toward an era of protectionism, even while arguing that Trump-style tariff policies cannot achieve goals such as eliminating the trade deficit, reviving domestic industries, and rescuing the middle class. In the RIETI event guide, the author is introduced as positioning the current tariff hikes as a 'political placebo,' depicting the risk of fragmentation in the international trade system and multiple future scenarios beyond it.
In this reading group, discussions will be held with the main points of debate being the political logic behind Trump's tariffs, the shaking of the free trade system, how Japan should respond in a world where protectionism becomes the norm, and how to foresee the future of the global economy. We aim to provide a place for useful learning and dialogue for those interested in international economics, trade policy, US politics, geopolitics, and the future of the global economy.
Book introduction URL: https://x.gd/wa9hZ
Author Profile
Mr. Richard Baldwin
An economist specializing in international economics. In the RIETI event introduction, he is introduced as a professor at IMD Business School and a non-resident fellow of the institute.
Event Overview
Theme: 'Why Trump's Trade War Fails: Even So, Protectionism Becomes the New Normal' Reading Group
Organizer: Shosukabu.com Inc.
Co-organizer: Nerima Political Research Association, Civil Department 8 Monitoring Committee
Date: Early May 2026 (Scheduled)
Format: Zoom online event
Participation Fee: Free (Pre-registration required)
How to Apply: Please apply by sending an email to info@shosukabu.com with the subject clearly stating 'Request to participate in Why Trump's Trade War Fails Reading Group'.
■Lecturer Profile
Yutaka Yamanaka
Activist investor representing the '76 generation born in December 1976, art collector, philanthropist, political activity sponsor, election consultant, policy advisor, social activist, and Akita dog enthusiast. Internationally recognized as an 'activist investor who understands technology,' he is the first person in history as a Japanese to achieve wealth formation of over 150 billion yen solely through investment.
In the early 2010s, he focused on NVIDIA, which develops GPGPU and artificial intelligence (AI) related semiconductors, as an investment target, investing over 2 billion yen. As a result, he realized a return of over 100 times, becoming the first Japanese billionaire purely as an investor.
Graduated as valedictorian from the Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo. Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School (Financial Engineering), studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Graduate School. Co-representative partner of Investment Brothers LLC, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Shosukabu.com Inc. Currently a shareholder of over 1,000 listed companies worldwide and over 200 unlisted companies. His investments include AI startups in Israel, healthcare ventures in Nigeria, and storage battery manufacturers in Taiwan, making him a true global investor existing around the world.
Based on his own childhood experiences struggling with dyslexia and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), he launched a support program for children with learning disabilities, modeling after Charles Schwab, a major US discount broker. His primary physician is a psychiatrist...