title: Tadao Kitajima
text: # Tadao Kitajima
  
  Tadao Kitajima (北島 忠雄, Kitajima Tadao, born January 4, 1966) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan. He is a former director of the Japan Shogi Association.
  
  ## Early life
  
  Kitajima was born in Tokyo on January 1, 1966. He entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school in November 1980 at the rank 6-kyū as a student of shogi professional Shigeru Sekine [ja]. He was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1983 and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in April 1995.
  
  ## Shogi professional
  
  ### Promotion history
  
  Kitajima's promotion history is as follows:
  
  * 6-kyū: 1980
  * 1-dan: 1983
  * 4-dan: April 1, 1995
  * 5-dan: June 3, 1999
  * 6-dan: October 1, 2003
  * 7-dan: August 14, 2014
  
  ## JSA director
  
  Tadajima is a former member of the Japan Shogi Association's board of directors, having served as a director from 2002 to 2004 and then again from 2011 to 2013.
  
  