Minoru Saitō (斉藤 実, born January 7, 1934) is a Japanese solo yachtsman and one of the most notable veteran ocean sailboat racers in the world.
On October 16, 2004 Saitō left Japan on his yacht Shuten-dohji II (named after Shuten-dōji, a mythical demon who lived in the 10th century; it is also literally translated in English as "Drunkard's Child," and sometimes jokingly westernized by other sailors as "Shoot Your Doggy") and returned 233 days later to complete his 7th circumnavigation, non-stop.
In his continuing career, Saitō has become the most experienced blue-water yachtsman from Japan with transoceanic voyages totaling more than 265,000 nautical miles (491,000 km) — almost exactly the distance to the Moon.
In January, 2007, Saitō was named the recipient of the highly vaunted 2006 Blue Water Medal awarded to one outstanding sailor each year by the Cruising Club of America.
In his achievements, he joins such solo sailing luminaries as Joshua Slocum (1844-1909); Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (1939-); Mike Plant (1950-1992); and Isabelle Autissier (1956-).
Sailing west-to-east to circle the globe in a wind-driven craft is no small feat but rarely is the plan to go westwardly instead — the "wrong way around" — against the prevailing winds, currents and waves.