Kammala wannan jumla: A lokacinta na karshe na gasa, Watanabe ta lashe zinare a NHK Trophy na 1979 sannan kuma ta lashe lambar yabo ta takwas ta kasa. Ta kasance ta 6 a gasar Olympics ta 1980. Ta ƙare aikinta na gasa a
Gasar cin kofin duniya ta 1980, inda ta kasance ta 4.