Photo/Illutration Women’s Tachiaoi title holder Asami Ueno shortly after winning the seventh Go Seigen Cup in Fuzhou, China, on Dec. 1 (Photo by Yang Chengping)

FUZHOU, China—Asami Ueno’s budding legacy continues to grow after the 23-year-old became the first Japanese woman to win a major competition in go.

Ueno, a Women’s Tachiaoi title holder, defeated Tang Jianwen, a 20-year-old 6th dan from China, at the seventh Go Seigen Cup here on Dec. 1.

She won the international women’s tournament in the last round of the best-of-three final.

“It is a miracle that I won the championship,” Ueno told reporters after the game. “I learned a lot from my opponent because she had many strengths.”

Tied at 1-1, Ueno pulled off dominating moves with her black pieces during the third decisive game. She secured victory after killing a large group of Tang’s pieces, forcing her opponent to resign.

Ueno had to outmaneuver three Chinese players to make it to the final.

Her compatriot, 26-year-old Rina Fujisawa, the Women’s Honinbo winner, had advanced to the finals in the previous tournament.

Since 2000, the world of professional go has seen a rise in the number of international women’s competitions.

Chinese and South Korean players have historically overwhelmed those from Japan, but Ueno and Fujisawa have emerged as strong contenders in recent years.

Ueno placed second at the round-robin Huang Longshi Cup in June.

Ryo Ichiriki’s triumph at a global mixed gender tournament in September was another milestone for Japan. The 27-year-old Meijin title holder became the first Japanese player to snag a major championship in 19 years.

Ueno’s tournament win following so soon after Ichiriki’s victory has bolstered Japan’s presence on the international stage.

Ueno has also made a name for herself at mixed-gender tournaments. She became the first woman to claim the Shinjin-o (king of new stars) title in Japan last year and surprised the world earlier this year when she defeated a former world champion from China.

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