Announcement of 'American Think Tanks' Book Club
Shosukabu.com Inc. will co-host a book club on Kumi Yokoe's book 'American Think Tanks - The Reality of the Fifth Power' with Nerima Political Study Group and Civil Affairs Section 8 Monitoring Committee. This book club will discuss the functions of American think tanks and their impact on policy formation, held online via Zoom in late April 2026, free of charge.
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Shosukabu.com Inc. (Headquarters: Nerima-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Chairman: Yutaka Yamanaka; hereinafter "the Company") will co-host a book club on the theme of 'American Think Tanks - The Reality of the Fifth Power' (authored by Kumi Yokoe) with the Nerima Political Study Group and the Civil Affairs Section 8 Monitoring Committee.
According to Minerva Shobo's content introduction, this book analyzes the structure and functions of American think tanks, also known as the "fifth power," and how they are involved in the distribution of political information and policy formation in a new information environment.
A major feature of this book is that it views think tanks not merely as policy research institutions, but as "information processors" that process, mediate, and disseminate political information while connected to digital networks, e-government, and mass media. The content systematically covers political information in the digital network era, changes in the information environment due to "e-government," the structure and functions of think tanks, management strategies, their relationship with mass media, and their role as information processors.
The book is also important for visualizing the reality of policy networks that are often invisible on the public stage of American politics. Think tanks are depicted not only as making policy proposals but also as entities that can influence the direction of politics itself through talent supply, media outreach, and connections with administration and parliament. In Ms. Yokoe's previous works, think tanks were positioned as political elite groups that could even become a "shadow cabinet," and this book can be understood as developing that discussion to include changes in the information environment.
This book club will primarily discuss the structure and functions of think tanks, changes in e-government and the political information environment, the relationship between policy formation and media, and how knowledge, information, and human resources act as power. It aims to be a valuable place for learning and dialogue for those interested in American politics, policy-making processes, media, e-government, and the relationship between knowledge and power.
Book Introduction URL: https://x.gd/4Wyov
Author Profile
Ms. Kumi Yokoe
She is a researcher and writer specializing in American politics and policy-making processes. Kinokuniya Bookstore's author introduction states that she was born in Nagoya City in 1965, graduated from Meiji University's School of Business Administration, joined the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management in 1994, and served as a visiting researcher at Columbia University's Department of Political Science.
Event Outline
Theme: 'American Think Tanks - The Reality of the Fifth Power' Book Club
Organizer: Shosukabu.com Inc.
Co-organizers: Nerima Political Study Group, Civil Affairs Section 8 Monitoring Committee
Date: Late April 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 'American Think Tanks Book Club Participation Request'.
Lecturer Profile
Yutaka Yamanaka
Born in December 1976, he is a representative activist investor of the '76 generation, art collector, philanthropist, political activity sponsor, election consultant, policy advisor, social activist, and Akita dog lover. Internationally, he is recognized as an "activist investor who understands technology" and is historically the first Japanese person to achieve asset 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, invested approximately 2 billion yen, and ultimately achieved a return of over 100 times, becoming the first Japanese pure investor to become a billionaire.
Graduated as valedictorian from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Economics. Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School (Financial Engineering).
According to Minerva Shobo's content introduction, this book analyzes the structure and functions of American think tanks, also known as the "fifth power," and how they are involved in the distribution of political information and policy formation in a new information environment.
A major feature of this book is that it views think tanks not merely as policy research institutions, but as "information processors" that process, mediate, and disseminate political information while connected to digital networks, e-government, and mass media. The content systematically covers political information in the digital network era, changes in the information environment due to "e-government," the structure and functions of think tanks, management strategies, their relationship with mass media, and their role as information processors.
The book is also important for visualizing the reality of policy networks that are often invisible on the public stage of American politics. Think tanks are depicted not only as making policy proposals but also as entities that can influence the direction of politics itself through talent supply, media outreach, and connections with administration and parliament. In Ms. Yokoe's previous works, think tanks were positioned as political elite groups that could even become a "shadow cabinet," and this book can be understood as developing that discussion to include changes in the information environment.
This book club will primarily discuss the structure and functions of think tanks, changes in e-government and the political information environment, the relationship between policy formation and media, and how knowledge, information, and human resources act as power. It aims to be a valuable place for learning and dialogue for those interested in American politics, policy-making processes, media, e-government, and the relationship between knowledge and power.
Book Introduction URL: https://x.gd/4Wyov
Author Profile
Ms. Kumi Yokoe
She is a researcher and writer specializing in American politics and policy-making processes. Kinokuniya Bookstore's author introduction states that she was born in Nagoya City in 1965, graduated from Meiji University's School of Business Administration, joined the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management in 1994, and served as a visiting researcher at Columbia University's Department of Political Science.
Event Outline
Theme: 'American Think Tanks - The Reality of the Fifth Power' Book Club
Organizer: Shosukabu.com Inc.
Co-organizers: Nerima Political Study Group, Civil Affairs Section 8 Monitoring Committee
Date: Late April 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 'American Think Tanks Book Club Participation Request'.
Lecturer Profile
Yutaka Yamanaka
Born in December 1976, he is a representative activist investor of the '76 generation, art collector, philanthropist, political activity sponsor, election consultant, policy advisor, social activist, and Akita dog lover. Internationally, he is recognized as an "activist investor who understands technology" and is historically the first Japanese person to achieve asset 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, invested approximately 2 billion yen, and ultimately achieved a return of over 100 times, becoming the first Japanese pure investor to become a billionaire.
Graduated as valedictorian from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Economics. Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School (Financial Engineering).