Photo/Illutration Sota Fujii, right, plays a shogi match against Akira Watanabe for the Kio title in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, on March 19 after taking a lunch break. (Pool)

When professional shogi player Akira Watanabe won the Meijin title for the first time in 2020, his usual eloquence was missing from the speech he gave during the post-match ceremony.

“When writing a draft of this speech, I couldn’t describe my feelings as a newly minted Meijin,” he said. “People often talk about fulfilling their ‘higan’ (one’s deepest wish) when they succeed, but that word felt too simple to me.”

Many thoughts must have crossed his mind at the time.

Watanabe was the fourth shogi player in history to turn pro while in junior high school. He then went on to win the triple crowns of Ryuo, Osho and Kio titles.

But he also went through a long losing streak, during which he could not even qualify for the right to play for the Meijin title. He knew both glory and defeat.

The 81st seven-game Meijin title match begins on April 5. Watanabe will be stripped of all his titles if he loses. He will be challenged by Sota Fujii, a 20-year-old Ryuo, who is aiming for his seventh title.

Watanabe has so far won three and lost 16 matches against Fujii. He is obviously fully aware that everyone’s attention is focused on this unstoppable young genius.

Once a top young rising star himself, Watanabe is now on the defensive. Like the tiles on the shogi board, he probably is “reading” his future.

“As a top shogi pro, my career is now in its latter stage,” he said calmly.

Anyone who reaches the pinnacle will eventually meet someone who will threaten to unseat them. That is the fate of every risk-taker.

In a pre-match interview, Watanabe used the word “responsibility,” which made an impression on me.

He said: “With Mr. Fujii having won so many matches and now about to participate in the seven-game Meijin title match, I feel responsible for the fact that I hold the Meijin title.”

I imagine that his comment was an expression of his determination and sincere desire to ensure his performance will live up to his title.

Will Watanabe block the generational change or end up allowing it? I count myself lucky to be able to watch a match that will go down in the history of shogi.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 5

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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