Akira Inaba

Akira Inaba (稲葉 陽) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan.

Shogi professional
Inaba, together with Tetsurō Itodani, Masayuki Toyoshima and Akihiro Murata, is one of four Kansai-based young shogi professionals who are collectively referred to as the "Young Kansai Big Four" (関西若手四天王 Kansai Wakate Shitennō).

Promotion history
Inaba's promotion history is as follows:
 * 6-kyū: September 2000
 * 4-dan: April 1, 2008
 * 5-dan: March 8, 2011
 * 6-dan: May 1, 2012
 * 7-dan: August 16, 2013
 * 8-dan: February 18, 2016

Titles and other championships
Inaba has appeared in a major title match only once: he was the challenger for the Meijin title in 2017. He earned the right to challenge Amahiko Satō for the title by winning the 2016-2017 Class A ranking tournament with a record of 8 wins and 1 loss, thus becoming the eighth player in history to win the right to challenge for the Meijin title in his first year in Class A.

Inaba has won two non-major title championships: the 21st Ginga-sen tournament in 2013, and the 70th NHK Cup tournament in 2021.

Year-end prize money and game fee ranking
Inaba has finished in the "Top 10" of the JSA's year-end prize money and game fee rankings four times: 6th with JPY 28,010,000 in earnings in 2017; 9th with JPY 17,030,000 in earnings in 2021; 10th with JPY 15,800,000 in earnings in 2022,  and 9th with JPY 17,810,000 in earnings in 2023.