[2] After graduating elementary school in 1986, he entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of Yasuharu Ōyama as a twelve year old, and was awarded professional status and the rank of 4-dan on October 1, 1993, at the age of 19.

[3][4] In 2015, Namekata finished tied for first with Akira Watanabe, Toshiaki Kubo and Akihito Hirose in the Class A league for the right to challenge to Habu for the 73rd Meijin title.

Each player finished league play with 6 wins and 3 losses, so a playoff was held to determine the challenger.

Kubo beat Hirose and then Watanabe in rounds one and two respectively to face Namekata in the final game of the playoff.

He won the 14th Quick Play Young Professionals Tournament [ja] tournament for top shogi professionals under the age of 30 for the year 1995 and the 1st Asahi Cup Open [ja] for the year 2007.