National Aug 20, 2020
Sota Fujii becomes youngest shogi player with two major titles
The previous record of 21 years and 11 months was set by ninth-dan player Yoshiharu Habu, 49.
National Feb 17, 2018
Teen shogi whiz Sota Fujii wins Tokyo tourney, toppling legendary master Yoshiharu Habu
Shattering age records for championships and promotions, teen shogi phenom Sota Fujii blitzes the field at the Asahi Cup tournament, defeating legendary master Yoshiharu Habu along the way.
National Feb 15, 2018
Shogi showdown pits 'god' against 'genius'
by May Masangkay
The match of the century. The battle between a "god" and a "genius." The faceoff between the undisputed champion of shogi and his touted successor. The hype surrounding Saturday's match of the Japanese version of chess pits shogi legend Yoshiharu Habu against the nation's youngest ...
National Feb 14, 2018
Japanese government presents go and shogi champions with national award for sweeping major titles
The government Tuesday bestowed the People's Honor Award on two champions of the traditional Japanese board games of shogi and go, making the two men the first recipients of the prize in their respective fields. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave the awards to shogi champion ...
National Jan 5, 2018
Pair become first board game players to receive Japan's People's Honor Award
by Tomohiro Osaki
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday officially decided to bestow the prestigious People's Honor Award on professional shogi and go champions, making the pair the first board game players to bag the award. The two — shogi player Yoshiharu Habu and go master Yuta Iyama ...
Editorials Dec 22, 2017
The performances of shogi and go champions Yoshiharu Habu and Yuta Iyama show why AI programs will never dominate those games even as they rack up victories against top players.
National Dec 13, 2017
Government mulls conferring national award to Japanese shogi, go champions
by May Masangkay
Japan considers conferring the People’s Honor Award to two shogi and go champions after the pair won all major titles in their respective games.
National Dec 6, 2017
Shogi master Yoshiharu Habu wins seventh eisei lifetime title
Yoshiharu Habu on Tuesday became the first-ever professional shogi player to win a seventh eisei lifetime title. In the fifth qualifying round for the 30th Ryuo title held in Ibusuki, Kagoshima Prefecture, Habu, 47, beat title-holder Akira Watanabe, 33, in 87 moves, taking the prestigious ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Jul 8, 2017
Shogi: A measure of artificial intelligence
by Philip Brasor
Though last Sunday's Tokyo assembly elections garnered the most media attention, another contest came in a close second, even if only two people were involved. Fourteen-year-old Sota Fujii's record-setting winning streak of 29 games of shogi was finally broken on July 2 when he ...
National Jun 27, 2017
Japan's youngest professional shogi player, 14-year-old Sota Fujii, set the all-time record for consecutive victories Monday, continuing a winning streak that has reignited public interest in the traditional board game. “I cannot believe (this accomplishment) myself. I was very lucky,” said Fujii, a junior high ...
People | CLOSE-UP Jan 7, 2007
Yoshiharu Habu: Japan's king of the board
by Raju Thakrar
Yoshiharu Habu shocked the shogi (Japanese chess) world when, on Feb. 14, 1996, at the age of 25, he won his 7th title to become the only person in the history of the ancient board game to simultaneously possess all seven titles -- Meijin, ...