Early Japanese Gaming Simulation Efforts

Abstract

Research on “ENREN”, a Japanese term no longer current meaning “a gaming simulation,” was pioneered in July 1941 in Japan. A national graduate school of gaming was established under the administration of the civilian Prime Minister on September 30, 1940. Until the school closed on March 31, 1945 due to the worsening of the war situation, over 100 participants had graduated from the school. Around the same time, another ENREN was conducted by Ayukawa Yoshisuke, an entrepreneurial tycoon. This paper will also introduce the concept of the first economic business gaming simulation founded by the Japanese tycoon in order to pursue the theoretical and practical questions of the origins of social systems gaming simulation in Japan by connecting the two ENREN gaming simulations. This research from a historical perspective would assist in the establishment of the science of gaming simulations.