Notice of Reading Group for 'Modern and Contemporary History for Adults: 19th Century Edition'

Shosukabu.com Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nerima-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Chairman: Yutaka Yamanaka; hereinafter "the Company") will hold a reading group themed on "East Asian Historical Dialogue: Beyond Borders and Generations" (edited by Hiroshi Mitani and Tae-chang Kim), co-hosted with the Nerima Political Research Association and the Civil 8th Department Monitoring Committee.

This book is the result of a joint research project that questions how modern East Asian citizens should confront memories of past wars and colonial rule, as well as the "historical narratives" shaped by states.

A major feature of this book is that it treats the issue of historical recognition not only as a conflict between states but as a complex issue involving personal experiences, intergenerational memories, and regional historical experiences. The contents cover multifaceted points of discussion, such as "the meaning of telling one's personal history," "historical experiences of Okinawa during and after the war," "historical recognition and the intellectual circle in China," "Asia in the forgetting and remembering of postwar Japan," "evaluation of colonial cultural policies," and "historical understanding as intergenerational dialogue."

Furthermore, this book presents the stance that the path to reconciliation is not opened by unilateral assertions of correctness, but by "talking and conveying." The significance of this book lies in its attempt to explore the possibility of public historical dialogue in East Asia by bringing together personal war experiences, regional memories, and state-created historical narratives, and re-examining the wounds, discrepancies, and forgetfulness within them.

In this reading group, discussions will focus on conflicts over historical recognition in East Asia, memories of war and colonial rule, intergenerational historical understanding, problems of state-created historical narratives, and conditions for dialogue toward reconciliation. We aim to provide a beneficial place for learning and dialogue for those interested in Japan-China-South Korea relations, modern and contemporary East Asian history, issues of historical recognition, the politics of memory, and international reconciliation.

Book URL introduction: https://x.gd/gVntV

Editor Profiles:
Hiroshi Mitani is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Tokyo and a researcher at the Toyo Bunko, specializing in modern Japanese history and comparative history.
Yorihisa Namiki specialized in modern Chinese history and served as a professor at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the University of Tokyo.
Tatsuhiko Tsukiashi is a professor at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the University of Tokyo, specializing in East Asian history and modern Korean history.

Event Overview:
Theme: "Modern and Contemporary History for Adults: 19th Century Edition" Reading Group
Organizer: Shosukabu.com Co., Ltd.
Co-organizers: Nerima Political Research Association, Civil 8th Department Monitoring Committee
Date: Late April 2026 (planned)
Format: Online via Zoom
Participation fee: Free (Pre-registration required)
How to apply: Please apply by sending an email to info@shosukabu.com with the subject line clearly stating "Desire to participate in the reading group of Modern and Contemporary History for Adults: 19th Century Edition".

■ Lecturer Profile:
Yutaka Yamanaka
Born in December 1976, an activist investor representing the '76 generation, 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 Japanese person in history to build over 150 billion yen in assets solely through investments.

In the early 2010s, he focused on NVIDIA, which develops semiconductors related to GPGPU and artificial intelligence (AI), as an investment target. He executed an investment of over 2 billion yen, ultimately realizing a return of over 100 times, and became the first Japanese person to enter the billionaire ranks purely as an investor.

Graduated as valedictorian from the Faculty of Economics, the University of Tokyo. Obtained a Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School (Financial Engineering), and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Graduate School. Co-representative partner of Investment Brothers LLC, Co-founder and Chairman of Shosukabu.com Co., Ltd., currently involved with listed companies globally.