Kōzō Masuda

Masuda in 1952

Native name| 升田幸三
Born| (1918-03-21)March 21, 1918
Hometown| Mirasaka, Hiroshima
Nationality| Japanese
Died| April 5, 1991(1991-04-05) (aged 73)
Career
Achieved professional status| January 1, 1936(1936-01-01) (aged 17)
Badge Number| 18
Rank| 9 dan
Retired| 1979 (43 years)
Teacher| Kinjirō Kimi [ja]
Major titles won| 7
Tournaments won| 6
Career record| 544–376 (.591)
Websites
JSA profile page

Kōzō Masuda (升田 幸三, Masuda Kōzō, March 21, 1918 - April 5, 1991) was a Japanese professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 9-dan.[1] He is a former Meijin who was known for playing very creative shogi. For instance, top player Yoshiharu Habu considered Masuda's playing style to be 30 years ahead of its time and the origin of the modern way to play shogi.[2]

## Life

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### Kōzō Masuda Award

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Each year since 1995 the Japan Shogi Association has awarded the Kōzō Masuda Award (升田幸三賞 Masuda Kōzō Shō) to the player or players whose innovative new ideas in shogi theory or tactics, or whose new or excellent moves have attracted significant attention among other shogi players and fans during the year.[3]

A second award is the Masuda Special Prize (升田幸三賞特別賞), which is given out infrequently.

### Promotion history

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The promotion history of Masuda is as follows:[4]

* 1947: 8-dan
* 1959: 9-dan

### Major titles and other championships

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Masuda won the Meijin title in 1957 and 1958, and was the loser in the title match another eight times. He also won the Osho title three times (1951 and 1955–56) and the now defunct 9-dan Title [ja] twice (1957–58). Overall, Masuda won a major title seven times and appeared in a major title match twenty-three times during his career.[5][6]

In addition to major titles, Masuda won the NHK Shogi Cup three times (1952, 1957 and 1963) and other shogi tournaments four times.[7]

### Awards and honors

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Masuda was awarded the Japanese government's Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbons in November 1973.[8]

### SCAP Incident

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In 1947, during the Allied occupation of Japan, Masuda was summoned by the office of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (metonymically SCAP) to testify on the game of shogi, which it had resolved to ban. SCAP, which sought to purge militaristic and "feudalistic" elements of Japanese culture, saw shogi as depicting prisoner of war abuse: "In contrast with chess, in shogi, captured pieces may be used by the player that captures them; this constitutes POW abuse."[9], said one high ranking SCAP official. Masuda countered: "In chess, captured pieces cannot be used; this is akin to the execution of prisoners of war. In shogi, prisoners of war–captured pieces–retain their rank (a bishop stays a bishop, and a general, a general), their abilities (or jobs), and their dignity as equal allies of the capturer. This very mechanic is truly democratic."[10] He added: "In chess, the king uses his queen as a shield to escape from danger. Is this not contrary to your ideals of democracy, and 'ladies first'?"[11] Masuda impressed his interviewers, and his remarks are said to have influenced SCAP's decision to not ban shogi.

## References

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1. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Kōzō" 棋士データベース: 升田幸三 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōzō Masuda] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
2. ^ 梅田, 望夫 [Umeda, Mochio]. 2013. あとがき. 羽生善治と現代: だれにも見えない未来をつくる. 中央公論新社.
3. ^ "Dai Nijūsankai Masuda Kōzō Shō ･ Dai Jūikkai Meikyoku Shō no Tōhyō Ukeduke Kaishi" 第23回升田幸三賞 ･ 第11回名局賞の投票受付開始 [Voting for the 23rd "Kozo Masuda Award" and the 11th "Best Game Award" have started] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
4. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Kōzō Shōdan Rireki" 棋士データベース: 升田幸三 昇段履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōzō Masuda Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
5. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Kōzō Taitoru Rireki" 棋士データベース: 升田幸三 タイトル履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōzō Masuda Major Title History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
6. ^ "Meijinsen ･ Jun'isen Kako no Kekka" 名人戦 ･ 順位戦 過去の結果 [Meijin title and ranking league past results] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
7. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Kōzō Yūshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 升田幸三 優勝履歴 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōzō Masuda Championship History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
8. ^ "Kishi Dētabēsu: Masuda Kōzō Sono Ta Hyōshō Rireki" 棋士データベース: 升田幸三 その他表彰 [Professional Shogi Player Database: Kōzō Masuda Other Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
9. ^ Original from ja.wikipedia: チェスと違い、将棋では取った駒を自分の持ち駒として使う。これは捕虜虐待である
10. ^ Original from ja.wikipedia: チェスでは取った駒を使わないが、これは捕虜虐殺である。将棋では、捕虜（取った駒）を、官位（角なら角、金なら金）はもとのまま、能力（駒の働き）を尊重して、味方として登用する。これこそ真の民主主義である
11. ^ Original from ja.wikipedia: チェスは王様が危なくなると女王様まで楯にして逃げようとする。これはあなた方の民主主義やレディーファーストに反する行為ではないか

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