The First Yokohama and Shanghai Shogi Exchange was held in February 2003 by inviting a number of children in Yokohama including 8 representatives of elementary schools and junior high schools of Shanghai. In addition to the formal Shogi matches, a Shogi match for pleasure was held between Japanese and Chinese children. (by Naohiro Sanada, chairman)
My dream to invite children who are strong in Shogi from Shanghai to Yokohama, a friendship town, was realized on February 1 of this year by opening successful goodwill Shogi matches in a comfortable lounge of the Yokohama International Exchange Association. (By Naohiro Sanada, Chairman)
A Subsidy obtained, now for Realization of Dreams
Having obtained a subsidy from the Yokohama Association for International Communications and Exchanges, we have established a plan to be described below in detail. In Shanghai, Shogi has come to be popular a few years later than Beijing. However, it is reported that the level of Shogi in Shanghai is a bit higher than that in Beijing. As a matter of fact, in 2001, an elementary school boy came to sit for an entrance examination of the Professional Shogi Player Trainee System (Syorei Kai, in Japanese). (by Naohiro Sanada, chairman)
In my column, “ISPS – Dreams and Projects” of No. 16 of the Kakahashi, I wrote about a dream of sending a Shogi trainer abroad. I think that this year should be the year for its realization. (by Naohiro Sanada, Chairman)
A Project to materialize a “Dream
When we held the First Goodwill Shogi Matches in July, no definite plans for the 2nd Matches were arranged. My idea at that time was that if the 1st Matches were held successfully, the next one in the following year would somehow come to be realized. Hence, I paid full attention to holding the 1st one and tried to hold it by all means. Happily, the 1st Matches turned out to be a big success. (by Naohiro Sanada, chairman)
A Dream to hold the 2nd Matches in Beijing
In July 31, our plan to periodically hold Shogi matches between school children of Tokyo and Beijing materialized as planned. It is indeed a pleasure that we are able to report it to you in this current issue. (By Naohiro Sanada, chaiman)
It was in 1997 when ISPS invited 3 elementary school children from Beijing for the first time. In those days it was no easy matter for ordinary Chinese people to go abroad. However, each year for the past 4 years, a few elementary and junior high school boys and girls from Beijing and Shanghai came to visit Japan to learn and play Shogi. (by Naohiro Sanada, Chaiman)