 Later that same year, he was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school as a student of shogi professional Osamu Nakamura at the rank of 6-kyū.Abe advanced through the apprentice school fairly smoothly, being promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 2008, and then to 3-dan in 2009.He obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan after tying for first place in the 48th 3-dan League (October 2010March 2011) in 2011 with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.