Yuya Saito

is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 4-dan.

Early life and apprentice shogi professional Yūya Saitō was born in Kuwana, Mie, on May 29, 1997. He learned how to play shogi from his parents at the age of five-years-old, and eventually became good enough to enter the Japan Shogi Association's training group for the Tōkai region in Nagoya.

Saitō progressed slowly through the apprentice school, particularly in comparison to the progress of fellow Sugimoto student Sōta Fujii who is five years younger and who entered the apprentice school three months later than Saitō. His 3-dan league opponents, however, were closer to his age which made him feel less pressure to win, and he entered the final two rounds of play tied for first.

Shogi professional Playing style Saitō mainly plays Ranging Rook openings and states he was influenced by books about such openings written by Daisuke Suzuki.

6-kyū: June 2012 3-dan: April 2022 4-dan: October 1, 2022

Personal life Saitō graduated from the College of Policy Science of Ritsumeikan University in 2020. He is the second alumnus, after Seiya Tomita, of Ritsumeikan University to become a professional shogi player.