Keio University Press

2020/09/11

Keio University Press was established in November 1947 (Showa 22) as Keio Correspondence Course Books Co., Ltd. Its purpose was to handle the practical operations of the correspondence courses at Keio University, which were to be established the following year, and to publish textbooks and supplementary materials for that education. In 1952, the company name was changed to Keio Tsushin Co., Ltd. Since then, it has also undertaken commissioned projects outside of correspondence education and published academic books.

In 1995 (Heisei 7), the new head office building was completed. Then, in April 1996, the company changed its name to the current Keio University Press, Inc. As a university press, it began to focus in earnest on publishing academic books, centered on disseminating the research findings of faculty members from Keio University and researchers from across the country.

Since then, in addition to publishing academic books that reflect the results of cutting-edge research and publishing titles such as "The Collected Works of Fukuzawa Yukichi (12 volumes)" and "The Complete Works of Toshihiko Izutsu (12 volumes + separate volume)," the press has also taken on the editing and production of "Mita-hyoron (official monthly journal published by Keio University Press)." It plays a major role in accumulating and disseminating the culture of Keio University.

Publishing at Keio University originates from the prolific writing activities of Fukuzawa Yukichi. Fukuzawa, who had produced numerous original works and translations, including "Things Western (Seiyō Jijō)," was dissatisfied with the Edo-period practice of entrusting all publication of his works to *shorin* (booksellers and publishers). He embarked on managing his own publishing business, joining a guild of booksellers in 1869 (Meiji 2) under the trade name "Fukuzawaya Yukichi." Subsequently, while changing names to the Keio University Publishing Office and then the Keio University Publisher, he published Fukuzawa's own works, such as "An Outline of a Theory of Civilization," as well as books and translations by Keio University faculty (the Keio University Publisher later became Jiji Shimpo).

Additionally, in 1937 (Showa 12), then-President Shinzo Koizumi was invited to the 300th anniversary celebration of Harvard University's founding. Witnessing the vigorous activities of university presses at various American universities inspired the establishment of Keio Publisher Co., Ltd., which existed until shortly after the end of World War II.

Currently, Keio University Press fulfills its important mission of disseminating research findings through academic publishing while also conducting diversified business operations to manage itself as a corporation. In addition to renting the top three floors of its head office building to Keio University as the Keio International Residence, a lodging facility for visiting researchers and others, in recent years it has also been focusing on digital media businesses, including the production of media-based and broadcast classes for its correspondence courses.

In particular, it is responsible for producing the popular courses on the online education platform FutureLearn, established in 2012 by the UK's Open University, through which Keio University disseminates Japanese culture and other topics to the world.

Keio University Press is expected to support new research and educational activities while carrying on Fukuzawa Yukichi's philosophy of publishing and enlightenment.

(Yasuhiro Hirao, Chairman and Representative Director, Keio University Press; Honorary Counselor, Keio University)