Female professional shogi player Kana Fukuma is shown at a December 10 press conference in Osaka. (©Sankei by Hirofumi Kakidaira)
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Women's shogi champion Kana Fukuma holds six titles in the Japanese version of chess. She requested in writing that the Japan Shogi Association reform its rules that effectively forced a pregnant woman to forfeit title matches that fall close to her due date. On December 16, the association responded positively to her request.
Previous regulations required players to choose between competing and giving birth. They lacked consideration for female players, and revision of the rules was inevitable. On December 16, the association said it was changing the rules to "explicitly state in the regulations that pregnancy and childbirth are valid reasons for changing match dates and other scheduling, and will make every possible adjustment."
Why Now?
In April, the Japan Shogi Association had notified female players of its rules regarding pregnancy and childbirth for title matches. Those regulations stipulated that if the dates of a title competition overlap by even one day within the 14 weeks around a player's expected due date, the competitor will be replaced.
If the competitor in question is the title holder, she would have lost her crown without even having a chance to defend it.
Even if the regulations aimed to balance the mother's health with the pressure of title matches, it effectively penalized women for pregnancy and childbirth.
Fukuma's Experience
Fukuma gave birth to her first child in December 2024. However, she told a December 10, 2025, press conference, "If things do not change, I will have no choice but to give up on having a second pregnancy."
The federation thereafter apologized, and on December 16, announced a new rule. Hopefully, they will take serious responsibility for causing distress to the top female shogi player.
In the past 15 years, the number of women's titles has doubled from four to eight. As a result, competitive events involving travel and accommodation, such as best-of-five or best-of-seven matches between title holders and challengers, are scheduled almost every month.
Although the holder of six titles, Fukuma lost two title challenges in the autumn of 2024, while pregnant. Those losses were due to a series of forfeits caused by poor health. Although she requested that the matches be postponed, the association refused. It gave as its reason the substantial impact it would have had on other tournaments.
Fukuma's appeal for change at the press conference likely reflected dissatisfaction with the association's lack of understanding of the needs of women.
Improving the Rules
The association promptly reviewed its rules, announcing the changes less than a week later. There may still be times when changing the schedule is difficult. Going forward, care should be taken in such cases to ensure that shogi players who have forfeited a title or the right to challenge for a title are not disadvantaged, including in terms of income. Some form of compensation, such as giving such players higher seeding rights the following year, should be agreed upon.
As the owner of six titles, women's champion Fukuma will take the shogi professional transfer test for the second time in 2026. She hopes to qualify as a professional player. To become the first female professional shogi player, she needs to qualify as fourth dan or higher. If she succeeds, she could well take on male players as her opponents.
Why not take this opportunity to transcend gender differences and deepen discussion across the world of shogi? Understanding and support from organizers and sponsors of title matches is also essential.
The world of shogi is currently abuzz with the success of champion and six-title-holder Sota Fujii and others. And the number of female players is also increasing. A system that does not restrict women's lifestyles is beneficial to both the shogi world and society as a whole.
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- Sota Fujii Leads the Transformation of Shogi With All 8 Major Titles
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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