Ayumu Sasaki (佐々木 歩夢, Sasaki Ayumu; born October 4, 2000) is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racer currently competing…Ayumu Sasaki (佐々木 歩夢, Sasaki Ayumu; born October 4, 2000) is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racer currently competing in the Moto2 class for the Dutch RW Racing Team. He most recently competed in Moto3 from 2016 to 2023, where he finished runner-up in his final year in the category behind eventual champion Jaume Masià.
Shizuka Okazaki (Japanese: 岡崎 静夏, Hepburn: Okazaki Shizuka; born 12 June 1992) is a Japanese motorcycle racer who…Shizuka Okazaki (Japanese: 岡崎 静夏, Hepburn: Okazaki Shizuka; born 12 June 1992) is a Japanese motorcycle racer who competes in the J-GP3 class of the All Japan Road Race Championship for Japan Post NTT docomo Business, aboard a Honda NSF250R. In 2016, she became the first Japanese female rider to compete in a Grand Prix in 21 years.
Tomoyoshi 'Tommy' Koyama (Japanese: 小山 知良, Hepburn: Koyama Tomoyoshi; born March 19, 1983) is a Japanese Grand Prix…Tomoyoshi 'Tommy' Koyama (Japanese: 小山 知良, Hepburn: Koyama Tomoyoshi; born March 19, 1983) is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racer who competes in the ST600 class of the All Japan Road Race Championship for Japan Post NTT docomo Business, aboard a Honda CBR600RR.
Yukio Kagayama (加賀山就臣, Kagayama Yukio; born May 4, 1974) is a Japanese professional motorcycle road racer. He began his…Yukio Kagayama (加賀山就臣, Kagayama Yukio; born May 4, 1974) is a Japanese professional motorcycle road racer. He began his motorcycle racing career competing in the Japanese national championships before racing internationally in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, the Superbike World Championship as well as in the British Superbike Championship. Kagayama raced Suzuki motorcycles for the majority of his career.
Kuniaki Takahashi (高橋邦明, Takahashi Kuniaki; born 27 October 1972, Kanagawa Prefecture) is a retired Japanese…Kuniaki Takahashi (高橋邦明, Takahashi Kuniaki; born 27 October 1972, Kanagawa Prefecture) is a retired Japanese professional drifting driver. He competed in the D1 Grand Prix series for his own team, Team Kunny'z. Alongside D1, he also competed in Formula Drift Japan events. He currently served as a judge for D1GP.
Kouchi Yamashita (山下広一, Yamashita Kouchi) is a drifting driver who in 2008 made the switch from D1 Grand Prix into the…Kouchi Yamashita (山下広一, Yamashita Kouchi) is a drifting driver who in 2008 made the switch from D1 Grand Prix into the US Formula D series before moving back to Japan in 2010 to compete in the Formula Drift series there. He drove a Mazda RX-8 which was tuned with a 20B three-rotor engine producing a power of 429HP. He has achieved one victory from the D1GP series, came second place in Formula Drift Japan 2019 and won the series in 2020 for Team Weld driving a Toyota JZX100. Previously he was known for driving the Toyota AE86 and is one of the founding members of the legendary Japanese drift team Running Free.
Masahiro Shimizu (清水 雅広, Shimizu Masahiro; born November 22, 1964) is a Japanese former professional Grand Prix…Masahiro Shimizu (清水 雅広, Shimizu Masahiro; born November 22, 1964) is a Japanese former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. Originally from Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Shimizu won the 1987 250cc All Japan Road Race Championship. He began his Grand Prix career with a win in 1987. His best season was in 1991, when he finished fifth in the 250cc world championship, riding on a Honda.
Kenzo Tada (多田健蔵, Tada Kenzō; 17 February 1889 – 1976) was a dirt track motorcycle racer who was born in Japan and…Kenzo Tada (多田健蔵, Tada Kenzō; 17 February 1889 – 1976) was a dirt track motorcycle racer who was born in Japan and became the first Asian to compete in the Isle of Man TT. He started his career in 1907 as a bicycle racer; his company, Tomeye Trading Co., was the Velocette motorcycle importer in Tokyo. He started racing motorcycles in 1921, at which time there were only 20 racers in Japan, and he became a leading organizer of motorsport events in Japan. During the Taishō era, there had been a rapid growth of the motorcycling industry and racing in Japan. Races, sponsored by the national newspapers and intended to boost enthusiasm for Japan's rapidly developing industry, attracted crowds of up to 50,000. Tada was invited to race at the 1930 Isle of Man TT by Veloce Ltd, to celebrate the global popularity of their new KTT production racer. Tada had imported three KTTs to Tokyo in 1929, and was the Japanese National Champion. It him took 40 days by sea and rail, to reach the Isle of Man: he was the first Asian rider to compete in the event, and was the first Japanese rider to race overseas. Tada was loaned Alec Bennett's semi-works 350cc Velocette KTT bike, finishing 15th while gaining the nickname "the India Rubber Man", as he had a number of minor falls during the course of the race but remounted to carry on. At the prize giving ceremony after the race, Tada wore traditional haori (half length kimono jacket), hakama (loose trousers), tabi (toe socks), and geta (wooden sandals).
