Gov’t seen honoring Shogi master Habu, Go champ Iyama

December 13, 2017

Tokyo- The Japanese government is considering granting the People's Honor Award to 47-year-old shogi master Yoshiharu Habu and Yuta Iyama, a 28-year-old champion of the board game go, an official said Wednesday.

Last week, Habu became the first-ever shogi player to win "eisei" lifetime honors for all seven major shogi titles.

In October, Iyama accomplished the unprecedented feat of holding all seven major Japanese go titles simultaneously for the second time.

"They marked historic achievements that have given the public bright hope and courage," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference. "Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed us to consider whether to honor them."

The government is set to make formal decisions after hearing opinions from experts.

In a match held on Dec. 5 in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, Habu won the Ryuo title for the seventh time, winning an eisei honor for the last remaining title.

Except for Iyama, no one in the go or shogi world has managed to monopolize all major titles twice.

Habu received the prime minister's award in 1996, followed by Iyama in 2016.

The government created the People's Honor Award in 1977 to recognize those who are widely respected by the public and have achievements that give hope to society.

The award has been granted to 23 individuals and one group. The latest winner was Kaori Icho, who received the award in 2016 after winning her fourth straight Olympic gold medal in women's wrestling at the Rio de Janeiro Games that year. Jiji Press