August 22, 2024

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Nihon Ki-in (Japan Go Association) and of the Japan Shogi Association.

The Japanese Communist Party, in its Program finalized at the 8th JCP Congress in 1961, decided to “develop and spread the meaningful traditions of Japanese culture” as one of the basic principles of its Program. The JCP has since contributed to the development and popularization of go and shogi.

Shogi enthusiasts today are thought to number 4.6 million in Japan and 6.2 million worldwide, and as for go, 1.3 million enthusiasts in Japan and 40 million worldwide.

In October 1963, Akahata held the first “Akahata Go and Shogi Tournament” dubbed “Akahata Meijin-sen”, a national amateur tournament. Since then, Akahata has hosted the tournament every year, with the exception of 2011 due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and of 2020 and 2021 due to the spread of COVID-19.

In 1969, the “Shogi Newcomer Championship”, a professional shogi tournament sponsored by Akahata, was inaugurated followed by the “Go Newcomer Championship” in 1975. Newcomer championships dubbed “Shinjin’o-sen” are regarded as a “gateway to success”.

Past related article:
> Akahata editorial director attends Go association’s 100th anniversary ceremony [July 18, 2024]