Keio University Press

Keio University Press was established in November 1947 (Showa 22) as Keio Correspondence Education Books Co., Ltd. Its purpose was to handle the practical operations of the Keio University correspondence education courses to be opened 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 the publication of academic books.

In 1995 (Heisei 7), the new headquarters building was completed. Then, in April 1996, the company name was changed to the current Keio University Press Co., Ltd. As a university press, it began to focus in earnest on publishing academic books, centered on disseminating the research results of Keio University faculty and researchers nationwide.

Since then, in addition to publishing the "Collected Works of Yukichi Fukuzawa (12 volumes)" and the "Complete Works of Toshihiko Izutsu (12 volumes + supplementary volume)" and academic books reflecting the results of cutting-edge research, it has also taken over the editing and production of Mita-hyoron (official monthly journal published by Keio University Press), playing a major role in the accumulation and dissemination of Keio University culture.

Publishing at Keio University has its origins in the vigorous writing activities of Yukichi Fukuzawa. Fukuzawa, who developed numerous translations and writings including Things Western (Seiyō Jijō), was dissatisfied with the Edo period practice of leaving all book publishing to booksellers (shorin). He set out to manage his own publishing business, and in 1869 (Meiji 2), he joined the booksellers' wholesaler association under the trade name "Fukuzawaya Yukichi." Subsequently, while changing names to Keio University Publishing Bureau and Keio University Publishing House (Shuppansha), it published Fukuzawa's works such as An Outline of a Theory of Civilization, as well as books and translations by Keio University faculty (Keio University Publishing House later became the Jiji Shimpo-sha).

Furthermore, in 1937 (Showa 12), when then President Shinzo Koizumi was invited to the 300th anniversary celebration of the founding of Harvard University, he witnessed the active operations of university presses at various American universities. This led to the establishment of Keio Publishing Co., Ltd., which existed until shortly after the end of the war.

Currently, Keio University Press carries out diversified business operations to manage itself as a corporation while fulfilling the important mission of disseminating research results through academic publishing. In addition to leasing the top three floors of the headquarters building to Keio University as the Keio International Residence for visiting researchers and others, in recent years it has also focused on digital media businesses, including the production of media and broadcast classes for correspondence education courses.

In particular, Keio University disseminates Japanese culture and other topics to the world through FutureLearn, an online education platform established in 2012 by the Open University in the UK, and the Press is responsible for the production of these popular courses.

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

(Yasuhiro Hirao, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Keio University Press, Honorary Affiliate of Keio University)