Chess Magazine
Here are three Shortest Proof Game problems (well, the 2nd is not a "shortest") from Japan. They have been sent by Satoshi Hashimoto <hasimt-s(at)rd.tepco.co.jp> who wrote me a few words about retros in Japan:
"In Japan, there is a puzzle similar to chess problems called tsumeshogi. In that term, tsume means "checkmate" and shogi is Japanese chess. It's a highly sophisticated puzzle world like chess problems with a history of several hundreds of years and a lot of good compositions including fairy ones. There is a monthly magazine "Tsumeshogi Paradise" devoted to tsumeshogi, which has about 2000 members. If you are interested in tsumeshogi and read Japanese, contact:
Tsumeshogi Paradise No.5 Tabuchi bldg. 2F, 3-7-8,Tenman, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu, 530, Japan
As for references to shogi, see book reviews of The Problemist Jan. 96.
Some of tsumeshogi enthusiasts are interested in chess problems. So, a column on chess problems started in Tsumeshogi Paradise 2 years ago. Because most of Japanese fans are beginners (though they are experts at tsumeshogi), the column is designed mainly for beginners. Because of this situation, there are only few original compositions by Japanese. But 3 retro originals composed by Japanese have been presended in the column. I present you these 3 problems.
I would like you to solve them and let me know expert's comments."
1 - Yukio Hirose Tsumeshogi Paradise
12+16. Proof game in 28.5 moves
Solution
2 - Hiroshi Nagano Tsumeshogi Paradise
16+16. Proof game in 10.5 moves
3 - Hiroshi Nagano Tsumeshogi Paradise
14+14. Proof game in 21.0 moves