FUKUOKA -- Shogi phenom Sota Fujii became the youngest to hold two titles, at 18 years 1 month, after defeating Kazuki Kimura to earn the Oi title on Thursday.
Fujii faced off against defending Oi titleholder Kimura, 47, in a best-of-seven series.
The fourth match in the series was held at Ohori Park Noh Theater in Fukuoka and ran from Wednesday through Thursday.
Fujii swept Kimura to win the title.
There are eight major shogi titles in the traditional Japanese board game. Fujii's second title, after winning the Kisei in July, made him the youngest player to ever be promoted to eighth dan in accordance with the regulations of the Japan Shogi Association.
In June, he was the challenger for the Kisei title, breaking the record for youngest title challenger by four days. The previous record of 17 years 10 months 24 days was held by Nobuyuki Yashiki, now a ninth-dan player, the highest rank.
Fujii won the Kisei title at 17 years 11 months to become the youngest titleholder after he beat Akira Watanabe, who now holds three titles including the Meijin.
It had been about 30 years since the record for youngest titleholder was broken. The previous record was held by Yashiki at 18 years 6 months.
Fujii is from Seto, Aichi Prefecture, and studied shogi under eighth-dan player Masataka Sugimoto. Since Fujii became a professional in October 2016, he has broken a host of records, including being the youngest player to win a tournament and the first to ever win 29 consecutive matches.
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