Written by Tomotaka Urasoe, IGF Secretary General
Thomas Y. Hsiang passed away peacefully on 12 February 2026 at the age of 77. The board of the International Go Federation formally conferred upon him the title of Honorary Vice President in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the organisation.
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, on 6 October, 1948, Professor Hsiang earned a BS from National Taiwan University (1970) and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley (1977). He joined the University of Rochester in 1981 as an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and served there until his retirement in 2017. Beyond academia, he was a global leader in promoting the game of Go in the world.
As part of his lifelong mission within the IGF to achieve IOC recognition, he served for many years as Vice President of the International Go Federation (IGF) as well as Secretary General of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA). He was one of the founder members of the Iwamoto North American Foundation for Go (INAF) and served as Executive director for about a decade since 2014.
As a Go player, he represented the United States a few times at the World Amateur Go Championship (WAGC), achieving seventh place in 2005. He also supported efforts to bring the 2025 World Amateur Go Championship to North America.
Personally, I worked with him mainly through the IGF and the INAF from 2013 onwards. He gradually guided me into serving as a delegate to both the IGF and the IMSA, and we cooperated and collaborated closely for the development of Go in North America and around the world.
When I attended the opening ceremony of the US Go Congress in 2023 in Ohio, he received the Edward Lasker Award from the American Go Association and delivered a speech. During his speech, he referred to me as a friend who had come from Japan. I was deeply moved to be described as his friend.
His efforts secured long-term support for Go in North America and around the world. His honours included a commendation from the Japanese Foreign Minister (2020) and the Baron Ōkura Prize (2026).
On 31 March 2026, the annual award ceremony of the Nihon Kiin was held in Tokyo. The Ōkura Prize ceremony took place on the same occasion. The Ōkura Prize is the most prestigious award in the Japanese Go community, recognising long-term contributions to the promotion and development of the game. Hsiang became the first foreign recipient of the Ōkura Prize in 32 years, following Chen Zude (China) in 1994.
Past recipients of the Ōkura Prize include many of the most influential figures in Go history, among them Iwamoto Kaoru, Go Seigen, Minoru Kitani, Fujisawa Shūkō, Rin Kaiho, Edward Lasker, Ing Chang-ki, Cho Nam-cheol, Taki Hisao and Hiroko, and the creators of Hikaru no Go.
Ōkura-Kishichirō Prize
Certificate of Appreciation
To: Thomas Hsiang
You have long been devoted to the path of Go and have made significant contributions over many years to the advancement of Go’s international standing.
In particular, your tireless efforts to promote mind sports, including Go, and your central role in establishing the Iwamoto North America Go Foundation have greatly contributed to the development of the Go community in North America.
In recognition of these outstanding achievements, we hereby express our deepest gratitude.
President of the Nihon Kiin
Yōkō TAKEMIYA
March 31, 2026