Japan's youngest professional Go player, 10-year-old Sumire Nakamura, debuted in an international match in Beijing on Tuesday, with her game being closely watched in China.

Nakamura, who officially entered the lowest professional rank of "shodan" in April, competed with 27-year-old Wang Chenxing, a Chinese fifth-degree Go player who has been a champion in a global match of the traditional board game. Nakamura was beaten by Wang.

She has drawn a lot of attention in China as a Japanese "new star," said a female office worker in her 30s in Beijing.

Nakamura's game was broadcast live over the internet. China is one of the world's greatest Go nations, along with South Korea.

The Tokyo-born girl started playing the board game at the age of 3 and has been active in the Go world. She took part in Japan's national tournament for boys and girls when she was in the second grade.

After honing her skills in South Korea in recent years, she is now back in Japan attending elementary school in Osaka.

Nakamura has pledged to make efforts to become a Go player who can "fight in the world."

Her 46-year-old father Shinya Nakamura is also a ninth-degree professional Go player.