From: Reijer Grimbergen ETL GO JP> Date: 24 apr 1998 Subject: Nakahara/Hayashiba scandal The morning programs on Japanese television focus for a large part on gossip and scandals. It is very rare that shogi appears in these programs, but this morning Nakahara (Eisei 10-dan), one of shogi's icons was featured prominently in these programs. The reason: his relation with Hayashiba Naoko, who is a former Ladies Meijin and retired from shogi three years ago. Nakahara, a married man, is said to have had a five year relation with Hayashiba. Nakahara has not denied this saying that "he went out and had a drink with Hayashiba a couple of times". In a Japanese gossip magazine it is also written that Hayashiba had an abortion after becoming pregnant with Nakahara's child. I have not heard anything related to this on the morning programs, but I was watching them while shaving, so I have not seen all of it. However, there is clear evidence that Nakahara, after Hayashiba ended the relationship, has harrassed her with phone calls in the middle of the night. These tapes were played in the programs I saw this morning. Nakahara admitted making the phonecalls, adding that he was drunk and did not think straight. It was also said that Nakahara has threatened Hayashiba several times in the past when she wanted to end the relationship. Strangely enough, he seemed to have threatened to go to the press, which in my opinion would be much more damaging for him than it would be for Hayashiba. In the end, it seemed like Hayashiba's new boyfriend was so fed up with the situation that he convinced here to go to the press with the tapes and tell her story. I am not sure how this will develop, but this is all for damaging for Nakahara, who is one of shogi's greatest. Reijer -- Reijer Grimbergen Electrotechnical Laboratory 1-1-4 Umezono Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305 JAPAN E-mail: grimberg etl go jp WWW: http://www.etl.go.jp:8080/etl/suiron/~grimberg Tel: +81-(0)298-54-3316 Fax: +81-(0)298-54-5918