Several months ago, this column reported on the announcement by publisher Takarajima-sha that its eponymous monthly flagship magazine (which means "Treasure Island") would halt publication with its October issue, after a history of 41 years. Use of the word kyūkan (suspending) was ambiguous enough to imply the company hadn't pulled the plug on the magazine outright, perhaps suggesting the possibility of revival at a future date.

A mid-tier publisher founded in 1971, Takarajima-sha also produces numerous other periodicals and books, although it actually may be best known for its long-running series of "mooks" (magazine books) published as Takarajima supplements (bessatsu) called Bessatsu Takurajima.

Takarajima-sha began the new year with an unnumbered and undated 170-page publication, also named Bessatsu Takarajima, titled "Opening up the History of the Showa Period! Major Incidents [involving] Men and Women." Selling for ¥500 — less than half the price of most mooks in Takarajima's regular series — the issue adopts the same B5 format and printing on unbleached newsprint as most weekly magazines.