TOKYO - The Japan Shogi Association is considering new rules to address concerns raised by female players who have effectively been forced to forfeit matches due to pregnancy and childbirth, with a review committee presenting its interim report on March 31st.
The committee, established in January to examine match regulations, announced that it is exploring measures such as adjusting match schedules and venues as much as possible if a pregnancy is reported by the 14th week, as well as granting special status in the following season if adjustments cannot be made.
The issue stems from a rule introduced in April last year stating that if any part of a title match overlaps with the six weeks before or eight weeks after childbirth, the player would be replaced. Kana Fukuma, a 34-year-old holder of five women’s titles who had herself experienced a default loss due to pregnancy-related health issues, criticized the rule as unreasonable and called for its revision. The association subsequently removed the provision.
In response, the association launched a review committee in January comprising female players, lawyers, and medical professionals. Ichiyo Shimizu, president of the association, said at the time, "We take very seriously the anxiety this has caused female players and aim to establish a sustainable system."
The committee conducted interviews and surveys with relevant parties and presented the findings of six rounds of discussions in its interim report on March 31st.
Under the proposed measures, players would, in principle, report their pregnancy to the association by the 14th week, enabling organizers to adjust match dates and venues where possible. A six-week postnatal restriction period would apply, with any earlier return requiring a doctor’s approval.
If scheduling adjustments prove impossible and result in changes to either the defending titleholder or the current challenger, the committee is considering granting special status in the following season.
The report also suggests distinguishing such cases from standard forfeits. Instead of recording them simply as default losses, match records could indicate, for example, "X wins, X losses (including X forfeits due to pregnancy/childbirth)," thereby differentiating them from ordinary forfeits.
The committee plans to finalize its recommendations by April.
Commenting on the interim report, Fukuma said she had been informed that the policy direction centers on reproductive rights and expressed hope that the committee’s recommendations would contribute to the future development of the shogi world through improved conditions.
She added that she would continue to monitor how specific measures are implemented going forward and expressed gratitude to sponsors and fans for their continued support.
Source: KTV NEWS
