Japan Shogi Association: New Female President Could Be a Boon for the Game’s Popularity

Editorial

17:41 JST, June 30, 2025

For the first time in its more than 100-year history, the Japan Shogi Association will be led by a woman. Although shogi is widely viewed as a game for men, it is hoped that this appointment will encourage more women to take up the game, and bring new energy to the shogi world.

The association has selected joryu seventh-dan Ichiyo Shimizu for its president. Shimizu has so far won a total of 43 titles in the women’s joryu league, the second most in history, and she has been a leading figure in women’s shogi.

The association has worked hard to improve the system for professional shogi players and bring new energy to title series. All previous presidents had been male players, including ninth-dan Yoshiharu Habu, who served as president before Shimizu. Shimizu’s appointment could be interpreted as an attempt to change the male-dominated world of shogi.

There are two categories for professional shogi players: kishi for both men and women, and joryu kishi for women only. No female player has yet become a kishi. Shimizu is the first non-kishi president.

At her inaugural press conference, Shimizu advocated for “carrying on tradition and taking on new challenges.” It is hoped that she will take shogi culture to new heights with flexible thinking while preserving tradition.

In addition to selecting the new president, the association has also decided to introduce a new system for joryu kishi players to become kishi players.

Until now, for them to make the transition, joryu kishi players had to succeed in the third-dan league, competing against men at Shoreikai — an institution that trains shogi players to become professionals. Or, they would need to take a transfer exam that entailed winning three games against five newly christened kishi players.

In addition to the options above, under the new system, women who have won the highest joryu title, Hakurei, five times will also be eligible to be kishi players. Once there are female kishi players, women will have more chances to compete against male kishi players, likely spurring public interest in shogi.

With the birth rate low and people diversifying their hobbies, there are fewer and fewer people who have tried their hand at shogi. Women account for only about 20% of shogi players. It is hoped that Shimizu will take the lead in sharing the appeal of shogi.

When women are making a lively showing in matches, the game should get a major boost to its popularity. However, last year Kana Fukuma, who holds six joryu titles and was expecting a child, lost two title matches by default.

There is an urgent need for rules that will ensure women can play matches free from anxiety, such as those that allow for flexible scheduling.

Due to the achievements of Ryuo titleholder Sota Fujii, shogi is attracting attention. It is important to encourage so-called mirusho, or fans who only watch matches, via streaming or other means, to actually play the game themselves.

The Shogi Kaikan hall, which reopened last year in Tokyo, houses a cafe and a dojo on the same floor. With its glass walls, it has a bright atmosphere, making it a welcoming place even for people who are not shogi fans. Creating more places like this would be an effective way to motivate both men and women to become more familiar with shogi.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 30, 2025)