I think I have miscredited Hirayama with a completely free ascent. It seems he climbed pitch 7 free last year (8b+) when working it with Sachi Amma. Green tick on IG but I now wonder if this just refers to pitch 7 and not the whole route. He had climbed pitch 2 free in 2003 but, if I understand correctly, did not free the whole route at that time. I don't know if he managed pitch 2 in 2025. He speculates that pitch may have become harder over the years and is now 8c+ or 9a.
It's not been picked up by any of the usual outlets and I would think it would be newsworthy if he had climbed the whole route free.
Thoughts?
I think you're right that it would be very newsworthy if true, so if it is ambiguous I'd take that to mean he's ticked pitches but not the full thing.