Shōji Segawa
is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 6-dan. Segawa is notable for becoming a professional player without being promoted by winning the 3-dan tournament within the professional apprenticeship program. Shogi professional Becoming a professional shogi player Segawa was a 3-dan ranked apprentice shogi professional, but was unable to gain promotion to 4-dan professional before turning 26 in 1996. Thus, per the association's rules, he was required to withdraw from its apprentice school. Segawa continued to play shogi as an amateur and won a number of national amateur tournaments which allowed him to qualify for entry into professional shogi tournaments. Segawa's record of 17 wins and 7 losses against professionals in these tournaments led him to request that the association grant him another opportunity to become a professional. The JSA discussed Segawa's petition at its annual general meeting in May 2005, and the membership voted 129 to 52 to grant him a special exception to attempt to become a professional. The JSA arranged for him to play six games against a variety of professional opponents, stating that he would be granted 4-dan professional status if he won three games. Segawa's opponents were to be four professional players (Hiromitsu Kanki, Toshiaki Kubo