Female Shogi Champion Calls for Measures for Pregnant Players

Osaka, Dec. 10 (Jiji Press)--Female shogi champion Kana Fukuma on Wednesday called on the Japan Shogi Association to review its rules, which currently make it difficult for pregnant women to participate in major title matches.

At a press conference in the western city of Osaka, Fukuma, 33, argued that the current rules pose serious human rights issues.

She also called for abolishing a system in which female players who cannot participate in title matches due to pregnancy lose by default.

In April, the association introduced a rule effectively barring pregnant players from title matches that overlap with a period of 14 weeks around the expected date of childbirth.

This rule "forces us to choose between participating in title matches and giving birth to a baby," said Fukuma. "It significantly restricts women's reproductive rights."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]