Announcement of Reading Group for "Report: The Naoki Hyakuta Phenomenon"

Shosukabu.com Inc. (Headquarters: Nerima-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Chairman: Yutaka Yamanaka; hereinafter "the Company") will co-host a reading group on the theme of "Report: The Naoki Hyakuta Phenomenon - The Current State of Patriotic Populism" (authored by Satoshi Ishido) with the Nerima Political Study Group and the Civil Affairs Section 8 Monitoring Committee.

This book is a reportage that interprets the fervent support and strong backlash surrounding Mr. Naoki Hyakuta not merely as an issue concerning a popular author, but as a phenomenon reflecting Japanese society since the 2010s. Through extensive interviews with Mr. Hyakuta himself, as well as interviews with individuals in the publishing and conservative commentary circles, the book explores why Mr. Hyakuta's words have attracted so many people while simultaneously generating intense controversy.

A major feature of this book is that it does not focus solely on Mr. Hyakuta's individual statements or ideology, but also considers the social background and changes in the media environment that support them. It meticulously describes how the transformation of conservative discourse, changes in publishing culture, dissemination via the internet, distrust of existing media and intellectuals, and the power of emotional narratives have intertwined. It is not merely a biographical study but a book that prompts reflection on the spread of populism and the reorganization of public discourse in Japanese society.

At this reading group, discussions will focus on key points such as what the Naoki Hyakuta phenomenon is, the characteristics of patriotic populism, changes in conservative discourse, the interaction between publishing and the internet, and what is happening in contemporary Japanese public discourse. We aim for this to be a valuable learning and dialogue opportunity for those interested in Japanese politics, media, populism, conservative thought, and the divisions in modern society.

Book Introduction URL: https://x.gd/te4HS

Author Profile

Satoshi Ishido

Non-fiction writer. Public bibliographies state he was born in 1984. In this book, through extensive interviews with Mr. Hyakuta and testimonies from related parties, he depicts the "Naoki Hyakuta phenomenon" as a social phenomenon symbolizing Japan in the 2010s, using a reportage approach.

Event Overview

Theme: Reading Group for "Report: The Naoki Hyakuta Phenomenon - The Current State of Patriotic Populism"

Organizer: Shosukabu.com Inc.

Co-organizers: Nerima Political Study Group, Civil Affairs Section 8 Monitoring Committee

Date: Mid-May 2026 (scheduled)

Format: Zoom online

Participation Fee: Free (pre-registration required)

Application Method: Please send an email to info@shosukabu.com with the subject line "『ルポ 百田尚樹現象 読書会 参加希望』" (Request to participate in the 'Report: Naoki Hyakuta Phenomenon' Reading Group).

Lecturer Profile

Yutaka Yamanaka

Born in December 1976, Yutaka Yamanaka is a leading activist investor, art collector, philanthropist, political activity sponsor, election consultant, policy advisor, social activist, and Akita dog enthusiast of the '76 generation. Internationally, he is recognized as an "activist investor who understands technology" and is historically the first Japanese individual to accumulate over 150 billion JPY solely through investment. In the early 2010s, he focused on NVIDIA, a developer of GPGPU and AI-related semiconductors, investing approximately 2 billion JPY and achieving a return of over 100 times, becoming the first Japanese pure investor billionaire.

He graduated as the valedictorian from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo, 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) Graduate School. He is a co-representative partner of Investment Brothers LLC, co-founder and chairman of Shosukabu.com Inc., and currently a shareholder in over 1,000 listed companies and 200 unlisted companies worldwide. His investments span globally, including AI startups in Israel, healthcare ventures in Nigeria, and battery manufacturers in Taiwan, making him a truly global investor.

Drawing from his personal experience of struggling with dyslexia and ADHD in childhood, he launched a support program for children with learning disabilities, modeled after Charles Schwab, a major US discount broker. His personal physician is the renowned psychiatrist Professor Akira Iwanami (former director of Showa University Karasuyama Hospital).

He is the founder and representative of the political organization "Association for the Establishment of a Constitutional Court in Japan," head of the "Yamanaka Hoya Political and Economic Academy," founder and representative of the political organization "Association for the Realization of a Tax-Free Nation in Japan," founder and representative of the political organization "Association for the Early Restart of Nuclear Power Plants in Japan," founder and representative of the political organization "Renewable Energy Rights Monitoring Committee," founder and representative of the "Association Against Reduced Consumption Tax Rates on Food Products," and founder and representative of the "Association for Constitutional Reform Aiming for a Unicameral System."

Born in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, in 1976, as one of the grandchildren of Shigeru Yamanaka, founder of Hoya Glass (now HOYA Corporation, listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard, stock code 7741), a luxury crystal glass manufacturer, and raised in Shakujii-dai, Nerima-ku.