Isao Nakata (中田 功, Nakata Isao, born July 27, 1967) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 8-dan.
[1] Nakata's nickname is コーヤン Kōyan, after the on'yomi reading of his first name.
The Kōyan variation (コーヤン流 Kōyan-ryū) of Third File Rook is named after him.
[2] In particular, his development of the so-called "Isao Nakata XP" is a very popular Third File Rook quick attack countermeasure against Static Rook Anaguma.
Nakata's promotion history is as follows:[3] Nakata received the Japan Shogi Association's "25 Years Service Award" in 2011 in recognition of being an active professional for twenty-five years.