Leo Fujita, a third-year elementary school student in Osaka, will become the youngest professional Go player next month at the age of 9 years and 4 months. I spoke.

Reo Fujita, a third-year elementary school student in Osaka City, has officially decided to become a professional shogi player from September 1st, based on the Kansai Ki-in's "professional special recruitment regulations".



At the press conference on the 17th, Mr. Fujita enthusiastically said, "I will do my best."

According to the Kansai Ki-in, Mr. Fujita started playing Go at the age of 4 and became a graduate student at the Kansai Headquarters of the Nihon Ki-in in the first grade of elementary school, honing his skills.



Then, after applying for the "Special Employment Exam for Special Employment" that Kansai Ki-in started this year, and after playing against a professional shogi player, he was recognized as a first-dan on the 5th of this month, and he was decided to become a professional.



According to Kansai Ki-in, Mr. Fujita was 9 years and 4 months old when he turned pro on September 1, breaking the youngest record in Japan set by Sumire Nakamura, who entered the professional ranks three years ago at the age of 10 years and 0 months. , China, South Korea, and Taiwan to become the youngest professional shogi players.



When asked about his goal at the press conference, Mr. Fujita answered that he was "the best in the world."

His father, Haruhiko, who was present at the press conference, said, "I'm a normal 3rd grader who likes comedy and trains and makes a lot of noise. I'm very happy that I've become a professional player. I believe in him and I will watch over him," he said.

Successful applicants of No. 1 employment examination of the Special Employment Regulations for Special Talents

Reo Fujita, the youngest player ever to become a professional shogi player, is a third-year elementary school student living in Osaka.



Mr. Fujita started playing Go at the age of 4, and 10 months later, he had acquired the ability of an amateur 1st dan. I won the preliminaries to decide the prefectural representative.

Since I was in kindergarten at that time, I was unable to participate in the national competition, but I achieved good results one after another in other competitions.



When she entered the first grade of elementary school, she was adopted as a "graduate student" where children who are professional candidates gather at the Kansai Headquarters of the Nihon Ki-in, and she competed with other graduate students to improve her skills.



Then, in order to find promising young talent, Kansai Ki-in applied for the recruitment examination of the "professional special recruitment regulations" newly established from this year, and after going through the examination of the game by professional shogi players, on the 5th of this month, the first I became a successful candidate of No.



Officially becoming a professional on September 1st, Mr. Fujita will be 9 years and 4 months old at this point.



Sumire Nakamura, the youngest professional shogi player in Japan at the age of 10 years and 0 months, will break the record for the youngest professional player in Japan in 1968 at the age of 11 years and 9 months. It will be the youngest record update for the first time in 54 years since Jikun Cho (66), who entered.

Taiki Seto, 8th dan, plays Go like an adult

Daiki Seto, 8th Dan, who played against him in the recruitment exam, said at a press conference, "I thought I was going to play Go like an adult. It was calm and balanced, and it felt like I was playing with a professional. It's tough. I think it's difficult to expect immediate results in the professional world, but I feel that someone who can hit this much at the age of 9 has a talent that I've never seen before. I want you to become a shogi player who can compete in the world."

Master Takumi Hoshikawa 5th dan "The ability to destroy the opponent's stone is a characteristic"

At the press conference on the 17th, Leo Fujita's teacher, Takumi Hoshikawa 5th Dan, also attended, speaking about Fujita, saying, "His greatest strength is his ability to destroy opponent's stones. He has grown through experience in the professional world. People around me have high expectations, but I believe that it is his mission and destiny to become the best in the world.”



Masasue Takiguchi, managing director of Kansai Ki-in, said, "The evolution of Go by AI is remarkable, and we want children who are becoming stronger to participate in official games as soon as possible to develop their talents. Shogi player Sota Fujii's I'm looking forward to the appearance of such a star, and I think that Reo Fujita is the one who has that possibility."

Yuta Iyama Four Crowns "Save up your strength and challenge to your heart's content"

Senior players have high hopes for the birth of the youngest professional Go player in history.



Of these, Yuta Iyama (33), who is one of Japan's leading shogi players and won the People's Honor Award in 2018, said, "Standing at the starting line as a professional, I think that various obstacles await us. Power. I hope that you can save up and take on challenges to your heart's content."



Also, three years ago, Sumire Nakamura, 13, who became the youngest professional shogi player at the age of 10 years and 0 months, commented, "I was surprised! I'm looking forward to playing!" increase.

Classroom in Osaka where I learned to play Go "I was surprised at how quickly I grew up"

Leo Fujita started learning Go at a Go school in Osaka when he was four years old.



Tatsuya Hayashi, an instructor in the classroom, commented on his impression when he first taught Go: "Four years ago, my mother came to me and said, 'I want to play Go.' The one who jumped out was Leo.At first, he didn't know anything about Go, but when I told him where to put the stones, his eyes lit up.After that, when I asked him if he was going to take a break, his head was stunned. I shook my hand and stayed with him until I got tired and surrendered,” he recalled.

After that, Mr. Fujita went to the Go club, which also served as a Go class run by Mr. Hayashi, almost every day, and continued to play Go all day long.



Ms. Hayashi said, ``When I taught him in the classroom, he continued to do things that I didn't teach him next time.I was surprised at how fast he grew. He said that he has been doing Go things such as watching Go videos.It's a simple thing, but I think he really likes Go."

Mr. Hayashi commented on Mr. Fujita's Go, "We often play against each other in early Go, but the speed is so different that it's hard to tell who's playing. I think I'll be able to demonstrate my strength in such a Go. I think there are various results in the world, but I think it would be my sincere desire if you continue to love Go."