Official News Release

Hasegawa Yuki Ladies 2-Dan, aged 24, got married to Taniguchi Toru, 4-Dan professional Go player, on December 22. She will continue to use her maiden name Hasegawa.

Profile of Hasegawa's spouse

Name: Taniguchi Toru
Age: 23 years old
Occupation: Professional 4-Dan Go player (Kansai Go Institution)

Message from Hasegawa and Taniguchi

"We're happy to announce that we got married on December 22. We're hoping to raise a warm family as well as to keep striving for excellence as professional Go and Shogi players. We appreciate your continued guidance and support."
Taniguchi Toru and Hasegawa Yuki

The 50th Rookie of the Year Awards Ceremony was held in Meiji Kinen Kan located in Minato-ku, Tokyo on 17th December 2019 to celebrate the 50th award winner, Takano Satoshi 5-Dan. Approxmately 120 participants including event officials gathered at this ceremony.

On the left: Makoto Son, the 50th Rookie of the Year (Go) / On the right: Satoshi Takano, the 50th Rookie of the Year (Shogi)

The congratulatory message from a sponsor: Yoji Kogiso, the editor in chief of JCP newspaper 'Shimbun Akahata'

The congratulatory message from a sponsor: Satoru Kobayashi, the president of The Nihon Ki-in (Japan Go Association)

The congratulatory message from a sponsor: Masaki Takiguchi, the evecutive director of general affairs, The Kansai Ki-in (Kansai Go Association)

The congratulatory message from Yasumitsu Sato,the president of the Japan Shogi Association

The complimentary address from Mutsumi Hagiwara 7-Dan

The complimentary address from Kazuki Kimura, the 60th Ōi title holder

The address of thanks from Satoshi Takano, the 50th Rookie of the Year (Shogi)
"The Rookie of the Year tournament was my great motivation to become a professional shogi player as this is one of the tournaments that members of Shoreikai can participate in. I took delight in playing shogi at this official tournament while being in the 3-Dan league. I was a second year junior high school student when I became a pupil of my master (Kimura Kazuki). Given the promotion quite smoothly for a while, I have been reluctant to become a professional shogi player by any means necessary. Of course, I know that my master was deeply in earnest, even more passionate in bringing me up to be a pro, however I couldn't have shaped my course in life for a very long time and experienced a very painful emotion when I was taught from him. It was not until I became a first year university student that I've finally decided to become a pro. The one thing that I regret is I've kept my emotional change as a secret from him. My master is so considerate. I think he already realized at that time that I was worried about something or holding something back from him. Nevertheless, he didn't ask me anything and coached me very nicely. I felt his goodness of heart and had great reverence for him. My master won the Ōi title, and I left one good result in return. Now is the time I would like to have a better relationship where we are honest with each other. My master, thank you very much for raising me to this day. I will apply myself diligently and continue to be successful like many of past Rookie of the Year did."

With Kimura Kazuki, the 60th Ōi title holder and the master of Satoshi Takano

6-Dan Murata Tomohiro (38 years old) has been promoted to 7-Dan, winning the game described below.

Date of promotion

December 18, 2019

Game

33rd Ryuo Tournament, Ranking Group 5
(opponent: 8-Dan Tomioka Eisaku)

Reason of promotion

Winning 150 official games after becoming 6-Dan

The award ceremony for the first Hulic Cup Seirei Tournament was held at Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba in Tokyo on November 12, 2019.
Hulic Cup Seirei Tournament was named by Shimizu Ichiyo, Executive Director of the Japan Shogi Association (JSA), and 62 Ladies professional players competed in the first year. Kai Tomomi Ladies 5-Dan challenged Satomi Kana Ladies 5-crown winner in the five-game final match, and Satomi won three games straight to become the first-time ever 6-crown winner in the Ladies shogi history.
The ceremony had a cheerful atmosphere with many shogi pros, Ladies shogi pros and the fans, who gathered to celebrate the first Seirei Satomi.

Congratulatory speeches by Hulic’s Chairman Saburo Nishiura and JSA’s Chairman Yasumitsu Sato

Hulic’s Chairman Saburo Nishiura highly praised the strength of Satomi, who won the Seirei title by winning three games straight. He also mentioned that her success is even beyond the tournament, for Satomi became the first-time ever 6-crown winner and shined a spotlight on the Ladies shogi world.

Saburo Nishiura, Hulic’s Chairman

JSA’s Chairman Sato Yasumitsu first showed his gratitude for the title’s sponsor Hulic, as well as to the guests at the ceremony. He then talked about how he was impressed by Satomi’s sharp ending moves and her patience when she was behind, sometimes referring to his own episodes from the past, and praised her strength.

Yasumitsu Sato, JSA’s Chairman

Presentation of certificate, trophy and prize money

Satomi Seirei with JSA’s Chairman Sato

　　

Satomi Seirei with Hulic’s Chairman Nishiura

Presentation of supplementary prizes

Congratulatory speeches

Santo Akiko, Chairman of the Shogi Cultural Promotion Diet Members’ Association and President of the House of Councilors

Takenori Kitajima, Chairman of Satomi Kana Supporter’s Association and the 80th Kokuso of the Kitajima Kokuso family of Izumo Grand Shrine

Presentation of special prizes

To celebrate Satomi for becoming the first-time ever Ladies’ 6-crown winner, an additional prize money of 660,000 yen and 66 packs of curry, made by the Gate Hotel Tokyo, were given.

Presentation of flowers

Toast

Shimizu Ichiyo, JSA’s executive director

Words of appreciation by Satomi Seirei

The launch of a new title match, Hulic Cup Seirei Tournament, has been a big encouragement for me. When the tournament began, I was highly motivated and was hoping to enjoy playing each game. I was honored to proceed to the final match, and every time I played the game, I could feel everyone’s support even more strongly. Although I could win the first Seirei title by winning three games straight, I felt that there were weaknesses in my shogi. It has been a very encouraging year for the Ladies’ shogi world to see the new title match launched. I will continue striving to improve my skills, even though it might be step by step.

　The award ceremony for the 60th Ōi title match was held at Matsumotoro, in Hibiya, Tokyo on 6th December 2019 to celebrate Kimura Kazuki for his winning. The ceremony drew a full capacity with approximately 240 participants concerned in the Ōi title to see Kimura Kazuki, the 60th Ōi title holder, who won his first title at the age of 46 and 3 months, and broke the record of the oldest shogi player winning the first major title.
After the ceremony opened with congratulatory messages from Suganuma Kengo(President, Tokyo branch office of Chunichi Shimbun Co., Ltd) on behalf of the newspaper companies sponsoring the 60th Ōi title and Sato Yasumitsu(the president of the Japan Shogi Association), Kimura Ōi was presented the certificate, the trophy from Sato Yasumitsu, and the logbook and the special gift ("Nakano Geppaku Jikanna Mon Tsubo", the pottery of Fukushima Zenzo, the ceramic artist known as a "Living National Treasure" in Toho-mura, Fukuoka Prefecture) from Suganuma Kengo. At last, Fujita Shozo( a lawyer, the former Superintendent Public Prosecutor at the Nagoya High Public Prosecutor's Office) offered his congratulations on Kimura's victory this time. Following the ceremony, Chimoto Hideyo(the chairman of Kimura's supporters' group) gave the opening address of the celebration party and proposed a toast.

　
The photo on the left : The congratulatory message on behalf of sponsors from Suganuma Kengo(President, Tokyo branch office of Chunichi Shimbun Co., Ltd)
The photo on the right : The congratulatory message from Sato Yasumitsu(the president of the Japan Shogi Association)

The certificate-giving ceremony

The trophy-giving ceremony

The prize-giving ceremony

The complimentary address from Fujita Shozo

Toast from Fujita Shozo

The address of thanks from Kimura Kazuki, the 60th Ōi title holder
　It was unexpected good fortune for me to gain the right to challenge the finals. However Toyoshima ex-title holder was in perfect condition, my major objectives of this title match was not to set an unwanted record of a 4-game losing streak and end this title match without holding a game commentary event. I was so relieved when I won the 3rd game. After that, I was too intent on the games and had no time to think of anything else. As a result, I came to my senses and noticed the fact that the 7th game was coming.
Having felt that it is quite difficult to maintain my current performance for several years, so I started utilizing AI to study. This new study method and great roars of cheers from Social Media might have led and secured the title. I am in the age which seems to be displaced in time, AI and Social Media gave me a supportive push on the back. During 7 months until the next series start, I think that all I have to think about is devoting myself to my studies without being excessively boastful.

With Takano Satoshi, 5-Dan, one of pupils of Kimura Kazuki

The fifth game of the 32nd Ryuo best-of-seven series was held at Hanko Yorokan in Tsuwano town, Shimane on December 6th and 7th. Meijin Toyoshima Masayuki beat the defending Ryuo Hirose Akihito with 143 moves.

As a result of this game, Toyoshima won the series 4-1 and became Ryuo for the first time.

4-Dan Takano Satoshi, aged 26, was promoted to 5-Dan on December 2, 2019, by winning the game described below.

Date of promotion:

December 2, 2019

Game:

The 68th Oza Tournament, the first preliminaries
(Opponent: 7-Dan Ogura Hisashi)

Promotion criteria met:

Winning 100 official games after being promoted to 4-Dan