Makoto Chūza (中座 真, Chūza Makoto, born February 3, 1970) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 8-dan.
[1] He was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū in November 1981 under the tutelage of shogi professional Yūji Sase [ja], was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1988, and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in April 1996.
[2][3] In May 2024, the JSA posted on its official website that Chūza had submitted his retirement papers and would be retiring from professional shogi for personal reasons upon completion his last official game for the 2024-2025 shogi season.
[4] Chūza's retirement became official on June 19, 2024, after he lost his 37th Ryūō Group 4 game to Hirotaka Nozuki.
[9] Chuza is married to retired female shogi professional Akiko Nakakura.