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This page gives the title games for the Meijin (名人) title sponsored by the Asahi newspaper, starting from 1976. For results from the league, see the subpages linked to in the first column. For the Old Meijin title sponsored by the Yomiuri newspaper in 1962-1975, see the index page.

Meijin title results

In 1976 sponsoring was taken over by the Asahi newspaper, and a new numbering started.

NrYearWinnerOpponent ScoreGames
11976Otake HideoIshida Yoshio 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
21977Rin KaihoOtake Hideo 4-0 1 2 3 4
31978Otake HideoRin Kaiho 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
41979Otake HideoSakata Eio 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
51980Cho ChikunOtake Hideo 4-1, 1 void 1 2 3 (4) 5 6
61981Cho ChikunKato Masao 4-0 1 2 3 4
71982Cho ChikunOtake Hideo 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
81983Cho ChikunOtake Hideo 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
91984Cho ChikunOtake Hideo 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
101985Kobayashi KoichiCho Chikun 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
111986Kato MasaoKobayashi Koichi 4-0 1 2 3 4
121987Kato MasaoRin Kaiho 4-0 1 2 3 4
131988Kobayashi KoichiKato Masao 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
141989Kobayashi KoichiAwaji Shuzo 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
151990Kobayashi KoichiOtake Hideo 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
161991Kobayashi KoichiRin Kaiho 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
171992Kobayashi KoichiOtake Hideo 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
181993Kobayashi KoichiOtake Hideo 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
191994Kobayashi KoichiRin Kaiho 4-0 1 2 3 4
201995Takemiya MasakiKobayashi Koichi 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
211996Cho ChikunTakemiya Masaki 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
221997Cho ChikunKobayashi Koichi 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
231998Cho ChikunO Rissei 4-2, 1 void 1 2 3 (4) 5 6 7
241999Cho ChikunYoda Norimoto 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
252000Yoda NorimotoCho Chikun 4-0 1 2 3 4
262001Yoda NorimotoRin Kaiho 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
272002Yoda NorimotoCho Chikun 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
282003Yoda NorimotoYamashita Keigo 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
292004Cho UYoda Norimoto 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
302005Cho UKobayashi Satoru 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
312006Takao ShinjiCho U 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
322007Cho UTakao Shinji 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
332008Cho UIyama Yuta 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
342009Iyama YutaCho U 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
352010Iyama YutaTakao Shinji 4-0 1 2 3 4
362011Yamashita KeigoIyama Yuta 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
372012Yamashita KeigoHane Naoki 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
382013Iyama YutaYamashita Keigo 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
392014Iyama YutaKono Rin 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6
402015Iyama YutaTakao Shinji 4-0 1 2 3 4
412016Takao ShinjiIyama Yuta 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
422017Iyama YutaTakao Shinji 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
432018Cho UIyama Yuta 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
442019Shibano ToramaruCho U 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
452020Iyama YutaShibano Toramaru 4-1 1 2 3 4 5
462021Iyama YutaIchiriki Ryo 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
472022Shibano ToramaruIyama Yuta 4-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
482023Shibano ToramaruIyama Yuta 4-2 1 2 3 4 5 6

The 4th game of the 5th Meijin finals was void due to a mistake by the black player and the referee. Black (Cho Chikun) was in byo-yomi and asked the referee whether he could retake the ko. The referee answered affirmatively, and Cho made this illegal move.

The 4th game of the 23rd Meijin finals was void due to a triple ko.

Honorary title

Players who won the Meijin title five or more consecutive times get the Honorary Meijin title. So far these are Cho Chikun and Kobayashi Koichi.