Hifumi Kato waits for the start of a match on which his retirement is hinged, at Shogi Hall in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on June 20, 2017. (Mainichi)

Japan's oldest pro shogi player, 77-year-old Hifumi Kato, on June 20 entered retirement after playing his last professional game in a career that spanned more than six decades.

Kato, who holds a ninth-dan ranking in shogi, or Japanese chess, ended his career with a loss to 23-year-old Satoshi Takano, who has a fourth-dan rank, during a Ryuo Tournament match at Shogi Hall in Tokyo. Overall, his career lasted 62 years and 10 months.

During a ranking tournament for the Meijin Tournament last fiscal year, Kato was demoted from the C2 league. Under regulations, his retirement was set at the point he lost a match in any tournament into which he had already entered. As a result, the Ryuo Tournament turned out to be his last.

Kato became a fourth-dan shogi player at the age of 14 years, 7 months, and held the record for starting his career at the earliest age until the mark was surpassed last year by teen sensation Sota Fujii, who became a fourth-dan, professional player at 14 years and 2 months.

At the age of 20, Kato became the challenger for the Meijin title, but was unable to capture the crown. He first won the title in 1982 at the age of 42, after defeating Makoto Nakahara, the 16th Lifetime Meijin. Altogether he held eight titles, including the Osho title. His career record was 1,324 wins and 1,180 losses. In terms of the number of wins, he stands in third place behind 15th Lifetime Meijin Yasuhiro Oyama, and Oi title holder Yoshiharu Habu. His career remains the longest of any professional player.

Recently, Kato has frequently appeared on television, and has gained popularity under the nickname "Hifumin."