Masataka Sugimoto is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan. He is also a non-executive director of the Japan Shogi Association.
Sugimoto at November 2019 human shogi [ja] event in Himeji, Japan.
Professional shogi player
A professional shogi player is a shogi player who is usually a member of a professional guild of shogi players.
Professional shogi players, Yoshiharu Habu and Akira Watanabe, in 2014 with women's professional player Aya Fujita as timekeeper and (former) apprentice professional Naoto Kawasaki as game recorder
Professional shogi players at a human shogi [ja] exhibition match in Himeji, Japan in 2018. From left to right: Toshiaki Kubo, Keita Inoue, Masakazu Wakamatsu, Tetsurō Itodani, Akira Inaba, Shinobu Iwane, and Rei Takedomi.
Professional shogi players Hiroyuki Miura, Rieko Yauchi (Women's professional), Takeshi Fujii and Yoshiharu Habu (from left to right) in 2013.
Women's professionals Momoko Katō 3-dan (left) and Sae Itō 2-dan (right)