Host
Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is August fifth. In the world of shogi, Japanese chess, Tomoka Nishiyama is one title away from becoming the first woman ever to qualify as a full professional player. Today she met the press before her big match. Let's listen.
News
今日のニュースです。
Here's today's news.
News
将棋の西山朋佳白玲が5日、東京・渋谷の将棋会館で記者会見を開きました。
On the 5th, shogi Hakurei titleholder Tomoka Nishiyama held a press conference at the Shogi Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo.
News
西山さんは、女性として初めて「棋士」になる資格に挑戦しています。
Ms. Nishiyama is trying to qualify to become the first woman to be a "kishi," a professional shogi player.
News
将棋の世界には、「棋士」と「女流棋士」という、2つの制度があります。
In the world of shogi, there are two systems: "kishi" and "women's professional players."
News
長い将棋の歴史の中で、女性が棋士になったことは、まだ一度もありません。
In the long history of shogi, a woman has never once become a kishi.
News
日本将棋連盟は去年、新しいルールを作りました。
Last year, the Japan Shogi Association made a new rule.
News
女性のタイトル戦「白玲戦」で、合計5期優勝すれば、棋士になる資格が得られます。
If a player wins the women's title match, the "Hakurei-sen," a total of five times, she qualifies to become a kishi.
News
西山さんはこれまでに4期優勝していて、資格まで、あと1期に迫っています。
Ms. Nishiyama has won four times so far and is just one more title away from qualifying.
News
今月22日から、第6期白玲戦の七番勝負が始まります。
The best-of-seven series of the 6th Hakurei-sen begins on the 22nd of this month.
News
挑戦者は、福間香奈女流五冠です。二人は、長年のライバルです。
The challenger is Kana Fukuma, who holds five women's titles. The two have been rivals for many years.
News
七番勝負では、先に4勝したほうが優勝します。
In the best-of-seven series, whoever wins four games first is the champion.
News
持ち時間は一人4時間で、女流のタイトル戦の中で、最も長い勝負です。
Each player has four hours of thinking time, the longest of all women's title matches.
News
西山さんは会見で、「一局一局に、全力を尽くしたい」と話しました。
At the press conference, Ms. Nishiyama said, "I want to give my all in every single game."
News
女性初の棋士が誕生するのか、歴史的な勝負に、注目が集まっています。
Attention is focused on this historic match and on whether the first woman kishi will be born.
Host
Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.
Breakdown
Slow Repeat
将棋の西山朋佳白玲が5日、東京・渋谷の将棋会館で記者会見を開きました。
On the 5th, shogi Hakurei titleholder Tomoka Nishiyama held a press conference at the Shogi Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo.
Host
Shogi player Tomoka Nishiyama held a press conference in Shibuya, Tokyo, on the fifth.
Vocab
記者会見
Host
It means press conference.
Slow Repeat
西山さんは、女性として初めて「棋士」になる資格に挑戦しています。
Ms. Nishiyama is trying to qualify to become the first woman to be a "kishi," a professional shogi player.
Host
She is aiming to become the first woman ever qualified as a full professional player.
Vocab
資格
Host
It means qualification — being officially eligible for something.
Slow Repeat
将棋の世界には、「棋士」と「女流棋士」という、2つの制度があります。
In the world of shogi, there are two systems: "kishi" and "women's professional players."
Host
The shogi world has two separate systems — full professionals and women's professionals.
Vocab
制度
Host
It means system — an official framework of rules.
Slow Repeat
長い将棋の歴史の中で、女性が棋士になったことは、まだ一度もありません。
In the long history of shogi, a woman has never once become a kishi.
Host
In shogi's long history, no woman has ever become a full professional.
Vocab
歴史
Host
It means history.
Slow Repeat
女性のタイトル戦「白玲戦」で、合計5期優勝すれば、棋士になる資格が得られます。
If a player wins the women's title match, the "Hakurei-sen," a total of five times, she qualifies to become a kishi.
Host
Winning the top women's title match five times in total earns the right to become a full professional.
Vocab
優勝
Host
It means winning the championship — taking first place.
Slow Repeat
西山さんはこれまでに4期優勝していて、資格まで、あと1期に迫っています。
Ms. Nishiyama has won four times so far and is just one more title away from qualifying.
Host
She has won it four times, so she is just one title away.
Vocab
迫る
Host
It means to close in on — to get very near to something.
Slow Repeat
挑戦者は、福間香奈女流五冠です。二人は、長年のライバルです。
The challenger is Kana Fukuma, who holds five women's titles. The two have been rivals for many years.
Host
The challenger is Kana Fukuma, who holds five women's titles. The two are longtime rivals.
Vocab
挑戦者
Host
It means challenger.
Slow Repeat
持ち時間は一人4時間で、女流のタイトル戦の中で、最も長い勝負です。
Each player has four hours of thinking time, the longest of all women's title matches.
Host
Each player gets four hours of thinking time — the longest of any women's title match.
Vocab
持ち時間
Host
It means the thinking time each player is allowed during a game.
Slow Repeat
西山さんは会見で、「一局一局に、全力を尽くしたい」と話しました。
At the press conference, Ms. Nishiyama said, "I want to give my all in every single game."
Host
At the press conference, she said she wants to give her all, one game at a time.
Vocab
全力
Host
It means full strength — all of one's effort.
Slow Repeat
女性初の棋士が誕生するのか、歴史的な勝負に、注目が集まっています。
Attention is focused on this historic match and on whether the first woman kishi will be born.
Host
Will the first female full professional be born? This historic showdown is drawing attention.
Vocab
注目
Host
It means attention — public interest.
Host
Let's listen to the whole story one more time.
News
将棋の西山朋佳白玲が5日、東京・渋谷の将棋会館で記者会見を開きました。
On the 5th, shogi Hakurei titleholder Tomoka Nishiyama held a press conference at the Shogi Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo.
News
西山さんは、女性として初めて「棋士」になる資格に挑戦しています。
Ms. Nishiyama is trying to qualify to become the first woman to be a "kishi," a professional shogi player.
News
将棋の世界には、「棋士」と「女流棋士」という、2つの制度があります。
In the world of shogi, there are two systems: "kishi" and "women's professional players."
News
長い将棋の歴史の中で、女性が棋士になったことは、まだ一度もありません。
In the long history of shogi, a woman has never once become a kishi.
News
日本将棋連盟は去年、新しいルールを作りました。
Last year, the Japan Shogi Association made a new rule.
News
女性のタイトル戦「白玲戦」で、合計5期優勝すれば、棋士になる資格が得られます。
If a player wins the women's title match, the "Hakurei-sen," a total of five times, she qualifies to become a kishi.
News
西山さんはこれまでに4期優勝していて、資格まで、あと1期に迫っています。
Ms. Nishiyama has won four times so far and is just one more title away from qualifying.
News
今月22日から、第6期白玲戦の七番勝負が始まります。
The best-of-seven series of the 6th Hakurei-sen begins on the 22nd of this month.
News
挑戦者は、福間香奈女流五冠です。二人は、長年のライバルです。
The challenger is Kana Fukuma, who holds five women's titles. The two have been rivals for many years.
News
七番勝負では、先に4勝したほうが優勝します。
In the best-of-seven series, whoever wins four games first is the champion.
News
持ち時間は一人4時間で、女流のタイトル戦の中で、最も長い勝負です。
Each player has four hours of thinking time, the longest of all women's title matches.
News
西山さんは会見で、「一局一局に、全力を尽くしたい」と話しました。
At the press conference, Ms. Nishiyama said, "I want to give my all in every single game."
News
女性初の棋士が誕生するのか、歴史的な勝負に、注目が集まっています。
Attention is focused on this historic match and on whether the first woman kishi will be born.
Host
Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.
Slow Repeat
白玲戦で、合計何期優勝すれば、棋士になる資格が得られますか。
Host
Five times in total. Nishiyama has won four so far.
Slow Repeat
第6期白玲戦の七番勝負は、いつから始まりますか。
Host
August twenty-second.
Slow Repeat
持ち時間は、一人何時間ですか。
Host
Four hours each — the longest of any women's title match.
Host
That's all for today. One more title, and shogi history changes forever. See you tomorrow.
News
また明日。
See you tomorrow.
1 / 0
Grammar Reference
〜として初めて N3
as the first ~ (to do something)
noun + として初めて
西山さんは、女性として初めて「棋士」になる資格に挑戦しています。
Nishiyama is trying to become the first woman to earn the qualification to be a full professional.
として marks a role or capacity; adding 初めて makes 'as the first ~' — very common in news about records and firsts
Grammar notes → 一度も〜ない N4
never; not even once
一度も + negative form
女性が棋士になったことは、まだ一度もありません。
Not even once has a woman become a full professional player.
一度も strengthens a negative sentence; often paired with 〜たことがない for experience
N4 grammar list → 〜ば N4
if ~ (conditional)
verb ば-form (優勝する → 優勝すれば)
合計5期優勝すれば、棋士になる資格が得られます。
If she wins five terms in total, she earns the qualification to become a full professional.
the ば conditional states a general rule or condition and its result — the standard choice for explaining rules
Grammar notes → 〜のか N3
whether ~; the question of ~
plain form + のか
女性初の棋士が誕生するのか、歴史的な勝負に、注目が集まっています。
Will the first female professional be born? The historic match is drawing attention.
embeds a question inside a sentence, leaving it open — news often uses it to build suspense about an outcome
N3 grammar list → 「〜」と話しました N4
said that ~ (quotation)
「quote」 + と + 話す/言う (past)
西山さんは会見で、「一局一局に、全力を尽くしたい」と話しました。
At the press conference, Nishiyama said, "I want to give my all, one game at a time."
と marks a direct quote before verbs of speaking; と話しました is the standard news way to report someone's words
N4 grammar list →