Announcement of "World History from the Ryukyus" Reading Group

Shosukabu.com Inc. (Headquarters: Nerima-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Chairman: Yutaka Yamanaka; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") will hold a reading group on the theme of "World History from the Ryukyus" (edited by Akio Murai and Hiroshi Mitani), co-hosted with the Nerima Political Study Group and the Civil Affairs Department 8 Surveillance Committee. This book, compiled based on the results of the 2007 Historical Society Public Symposium, provides an overview of Ryukyu history research and seeks to explore the global historical significance of Ryukyu history before the modern era.

A major significance of this book lies in re-evaluating Ryukyu not as a periphery of Japanese history, but as a historical point connecting East Asia and the maritime world, clarifying its unique position.

A prominent feature of this book is its perspective of Ryukyu not as a periphery of Japanese history, but as a crucial hub in the maritime world of East Asia. The table of contents includes topics such as the archaeology of the "Kikaigashima" maritime area, tributary relations and maritime exchange surrounding ancient Ryukyu, Kumejima and the Ryukyu Kingdom, tribute and regional order seen in Siam, Zheng Bingzhe's journey to Tang and Yamato, Confucianism in Ryukyu and Korea, the arrival of Perry's fleet in Ryukyu, and the Ryukyu Disposition from a world history perspective. It comprehensively discusses issues of exchange, order, thought, diplomacy, and modernization.

This reading group will primarily discuss maritime exchange surrounding the Ryukyu Kingdom, the tributary system and regional order, the relationship between Ryukyu and Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia, the impact of the West and the transition to modernity, and how to position the "Ryukyu Disposition" within world history. We aim to provide a valuable learning and dialogue platform for those interested in Japanese history, East Asian history, maritime Asian history, and international relations history.

Book Introduction URL: https://x.gd/mFL3c

Editors' Profiles

Akio Murai
Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo. A historian specializing in Japanese medieval history and external relations history, whose academic background at the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, University of Tokyo, can be confirmed on researchmap.

Hiroshi Mitani
Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a researcher at Toyo Bunko. A historian specializing in modern Japanese history and comparative history, researching the Meiji Restoration, formation of modern states, nationalism, and East Asian history.

Event Outline

Theme: "World History from the Ryukyus" Reading Group
Organizer: Shosukabu.com Inc.
Co-organizers: Nerima Political Study Group, Civil Affairs Department 8 Surveillance Committee
Date: Late April 2026 (planned)
Format: Zoom online
Participation Fee: Free (pre-registration required)
Application Method: Please apply to info@shosukabu.com with the subject line "World History from the Ryukyus Reading Group Participation Request."

■Lecturer Profile

Yutaka Yamanaka

Born in December 1976, Yutaka Yamanaka represents the '76 generation as an activist investor, art collector, philanthropist, political activity sponsor, election consultant, policy advisor, social activist, and Akita dog lover. Internationally, he is recognized as a "tech-savvy activist investor" and is historically the first Japanese person to achieve wealth formation exceeding 150 billion yen solely through investment. In the early 2010s, he focused on NVIDIA, a company developing GPGPU and AI-related semiconductors, invested approximately 2 billion yen, and ultimately realized a return of over 100 times, becoming the first pure investor billionaire from Japan. He graduated as valedictorian from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Economics, obtained a master's degree in Financial Engineering from Columbia University Graduate School, and studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He is a joint representative partner of Investment Brothers LLC and co-founder and chairman of Shosukabu.com Inc., currently a shareholder in over 1,000 publicly listed and 200 privately held companies worldwide. His investments include AI startups in Israel and healthcare ventures in Nigeria.