Bobby Fischer and I have
decided to marry.
I first met Bobby Fischer in 1973 when he visited Japan,
accompanied
by another American man, to meet several members of the Japan
Chess
Association. I was 28 at the time. One male member and one
female
member from our Japan Chess Association were offered the chance
to
play Bobby Fischer. I was the female player. Just one year
before,
Bobby had become the Chess World Champion after defeating
former
World Champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, in
Reykjavik,
Iceland. Bobby was gracious and said we played well.
Soon after playing Bobby, I was invited to attend a dinner at
which
Bobby was present. We spoke and the next day I gave Bobby a tour
of
Tokyo. We became friends and we stayed in touch by writing to
each
other.
In the next year, 1974, the Women's Chess Olympiad was held in
Medellin, Columbia, and I was selected to be a member of the
Japan
team. On the way to Columbia, I visited Bobby in America. Over
the
years since, we have seen each other many times and have always
kept
in close touch by writing to each other and by talking by telephone.
In 2000, Bobby returned to Japan and stayed with me at my
home.
Since then, Bobby has spent most of his time in Japan and we
have
lived together here. We have also traveled together
extensively
inside and outside Japan. Until today, we managed to keep our
relationship entirely private, even from our closest friends.
However, under the current difficult circumstances, this is no
longer possible. I am therefore releasing this statement about
the
background of our relationship in order to stress that our
feelings
are genuine and are based on our years of close companionship.
Sadly, I regret say that this day of the announcement of our
impending marriage – a day that would normally be one
of
celebration – is for me is just another day of worry and
anxiety. My
husband-to-be is being held by Japanese Immigration and faces
possible deportation. I am praying every day for Bobby's release,
so
that we can be reunited and be allowed to continue our life
together
here in Japan, quietly and normally as man and woman as we have
been
for the past four years.
We have taken the very serious decision to marry in the midst
of
this crisis in the hope that disclosing the reality that we
have
been living together as man and wife might help the two of us
to
return to that happy life we had been sharing before Bobby's
unwarranted detention. After more than 30 years, we have made a
very
serious decision that we firmly hope will be respected as the
right
of every man and woman.
Sincerely,
Miyoko Watai
August 17, 2004
Tokyo