Ambassador Hails Arif Abdul Hafiz’s Victory at Japan Chess Classic

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Ambassador to Japan, Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir, praised the achievement of Arif Abdul Hafiz, an Indonesian chess player from Bogor Regency, West Java, who successfully won the 2026 Japan Chess Classic in Osaka, Japan.

Kartini said Arif’s achievement was a source of pride as well as a gift for Indonesia during its 81st Independence Day. She hoped the achievement would motivate Arif to continue developing and bringing honor to Indonesia through chess.

“Congratulations to Arif Abdul Hafiz, this is the best gift for Indonesia,” Kartini said in a written statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, received by RRI on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Arif remained unbeaten in the tournament, which took place from August 9 to 12, 2026, collecting six points from seven matches, recording five wins and two draws.

The 2026 Japan Chess Classic was attended by 194 participants from 20 world chess federations this year. Chess players from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Spain, and the United States also took part.

The chess player from Babakan Madang Subdistrict, Bogor Regency, successfully defeated several strong competitors in the tournament. Some of his competitors included Thanh Tu Tran, Kohei Yamada, Masahiro Baba, and Ryosuke Nanjo.

Kartini expressed hope the achievement would motivate Arif to continue improving his skills and earn the Grandmaster title. She believes Arif can achieve greater success through various prestigious international chess tournaments in the future.

“I believe Arif will continue to achieve success and win various other prestigious chess events. Hopefully, Arif will continue to excel and succeed in earning the Grandmaster title,” Kartini added.

Kartini emphasized that the embassy would continue to support Indonesian athletes competing in Japan. The support is provided to athletes participating in various international competitions while in Japan.

Meanwhile, Arif appreciated the support from the Indonesian community in Japan and the embassy throughout the tournament. The support was considered to have contributed to his success in winning the 2026 Japan Chess Classic Osaka.

“Praise be to God for the support from the Indonesian community in Japan and the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, allowing me to win the championship,” said Arif, expressing his appreciation after securing first place at the 2026 Japan Chess Classic Osaka.

Arif said competition against chess players from the Japan Chess Federation was one of the toughest challenges in the tournament. He said the championship provided a lot of valuable experience for facing future international competitions.

“The toughest opponents came from the Japan Chess Federation. I learned a lot in this championship. Hopefully, in the next championship, I will be able to maintain my achievement,” Arif added.

Winning the 2026 Japan Chess Classic adds to Arif Abdul Hafiz’s record of achievements at the international level. Previously, Arif also won first place at the 2025 Japan Open and the 2023 Pacquiao Cup International in the Philippines. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)