Winston Churchill High School freshman Shinsaku Uesugi won the 40th National Chess Championship of Japan, held in Tokyo, from April 29-May 5, and qualified for the Chess Olympiad held at Dresden, Germany in 2008.
Shin broke the record for being the youngest Japan National Chess Champion in history. Thirty-nine players from all over Japan participated in the championship, qualifying by winning regional championships or qualification tournaments. Only Uesugi was invited there for his accomplishments in the United States.
Uesugi just became a master and he was current U.S. National 9th Grade Champion, at the National Grade Championship held in Florida this past December.