Fujii Becomes Youngest Lifetime Triple Crown Holder in Shogi History

Nov 14, 2025 | News On Japan

KYOTO - Shogi champion Sota Fujii, who defended his title in the prestigious Ryuo Tournament, expressed his joy on November 11th after becoming the youngest player in history to qualify for the lifetime title of "Eisei Ryuo" (Lifetime Ryuo).

"I’m gradually starting to feel the honor sink in," said the 23-year-old Fujii, who achieved his fifth consecutive Ryuo title by winning the fourth game of the series held at Kyoto Racecourse. Under tournament rules, five consecutive Ryuo victories grant the lifetime title, making Fujii the youngest ever to achieve the distinction.

"I can’t afford to be satisfied with my current results. I have to keep striving to reach higher," he said. When asked about next year being the Year of the Horse and his own “toshi-otoko” year, Fujii smiled and added, "I hope I can give it my all, like a racehorse running at full speed."

The new lifetime title marks Fujii’s third such achievement, following his previous "Eisei Kisei" and "Eisei Oi" honors, making him the youngest player ever to hold the "Lifetime Triple Crown" in the history of shogi.

Source: KTV NEWS

Takaichi Gets 5 Hours Sleep for 'First Time in a While'

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has drawn criticism over a social media post describing five hours of sleep as a rare luxury, as the extended Diet session prepares to begin Upper House debate on a controversial bill to establish secondary capitals outside Tokyo.

Japan Introduces Stricter Penalties for Drunk Driving

Japan began applying a new numerical alcohol threshold for dangerous driving offenses on July 21, introducing a clearer standard for cases involving impaired driving that could lead to fatal accidents.

Mount Fuji Filmed From a Helicopter

Breathtaking 4K footage filmed from a helicopter offers a sweeping aerial view of Mount Fuji and its majestic surrounding landscape.

Japan Scrambles for Oil

A covert network of shuttle tankers is carrying crude through the increasingly dangerous Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran disrupts shipping and raises concerns over how Japan will secure the oil it needs.

Russia Calls Japan-Ukraine Drone Cooperation a Clear Hostile Act

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized moves by Japanese and Ukrainian companies to cooperate on drone technology, warning that such ties would be regarded by Moscow as a "clear hostile act."

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sports NEWS

Giant Pickleball Center Opens in Japan

Japan's largest pickleball facility has opened in Higashiizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, with 20 courts available by reservation as the town seeks to establish itself as a leading destination for the fast-growing sport.

Tourists Pack Asakusa Sumo Stable

Foreign tourists are filling an interactive sumo show venue in Tokyo’s Asakusa district, where former wrestlers introduce the basics, rules and history of the sport in English as Japan’s traditional pastime enjoys growing popularity at home and abroad.

Koshien Rivals Rally in High School Baseball Thriller

Waseda Jitsugyo held off a ninth-inning rally by Hachioji to win a first-round showdown between two schools with Koshien experience in the West Tokyo high school baseball tournament on July 10.

Japan Coach Says Day Will Come When National Team Wins World Cup

Japan national soccer team coach Hajime Moriyasu, captain Ko Itakura of Ajax, Daizen Maeda of Celtic, Yukinari Sugawara of Bremen and Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto visited Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Yohei Matsumoto on July 8 following Japan's campaign at the FIFA World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.