Former NHK announcer Ms. Miyoko Goto acted as master of ceremony.

In the opening speech, Mr. Ichiro Yoshikuni, Tournament Adviser and Chairman of the Japan Pair Go Association, said, "This matchup is interesting. I am sure that the final game will be exciting." Next, chief referee 9-dan Mr. Seigen Go appeared on the stage and said, "Any plans will not be successful if the time is not ripe. At the beginning of the 21st century, pair Go in which a man and a woman as a team play alternately will be further developing throughout the world."

The recorders were 1-dan Mr. Han Kon Yu who reached the dan stage last year and new 1-dan Ms. Mieko Nakajima who is to make her debut as a pro player in spring 2003.

Both the go board for the final game and the commentary board were placed on the stage so that the audience could look at both the players playing and the commentary board at the same time. Therefore, the commentators must pay attention to have no effect on the game. This difficult task was performed by Honorary Gosei Mr. Hideo Otake and 6-dan Ms. Tomoko Ogawa as his assistant.

Mr. Otake said, "It is certain that this game will be very interesting. Both Mr. Kobayashi and Ms. Cho were under the tuition of the same teacher. They are rivals and know each other's playing tendencies. And Ms. Inori, paired with Mr. Cho, is a student of Mr. Kobayashi. These human relations are also interesting."

Ms. Ogawa said, "I played against the pair of Ms. Inori and Mr. Cho and felt that their determination to win was very strong. I expect that it will be a close game." After the commentators assured the audience of an exciting game, it started.