[Oldies] A brief history of motorcycle racing in Japan.

Unlike the United States or Europe, the history of motorcycle racing in Japan is relatively recent, dating back to after World War II, but it is extensive and simple at the same time.

The first events consisted of a hill climb on land on the slopes of the Mount Fuji, from 1953 to 1956. A slope of 27 kilometers with a difference in altitude of 1500 meters, motorcycles with studded tires. Here we find, to a certain extent, the formula which also made the Peaks Pike successful across the Atlantic…

The race was organized by the Fujinomiya tourism association, which had nothing to do with motorcycles. The event took place in July, when Mount Fuji is open every year, and the aim of the race was simply to develop tourism.

Around a hundred motorcycles took part. In fact, the first year, they looked more like mopeds than motorcycles and the regulations left little room for modifications.

Departure:

Mid-term:

Arrival:

Note the Yamaha pilots on YA-1s, equipped with the same white cotton overalls as the factory workers…

En 1955, the flagship event becomes the race of Mount Asama, which will be organized every two years to promote local productions.
“If there is no competition, there will be no technological progress” is the slogan of the Japan Small Automobile Manufacturers Association (the association of motorcycle manufacturers at the time) which sponsored the event.
The “circuit” is made up of 9 kilometers of public roads and each race requires you to travel them four times.

Unlike Mount Fuji, a race initially reserved for private riders, the factories were immediately present there en masse, starting with Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki.
The motorcycles are real racing motorcycles, but always with studs.

Honda emerged victorious, winning the 500 and 350cc categories (with a 250cc!), and finishing second in 250cc behind a Lilac manufactured by Marusho Motor Co, a company created by a former Honda employee.
Mr. Soichiro Honda will take this defeat in 250cc as a personal affront…
Yamaha takes the first four places in the 125cc class, followed by Suzuki.

En 1962, the circuit of Suzuka, a Honda property located 150 km northeast of Osaka, hosts the first Japanese Grand Prix.

Suzuka was designed by the Dutchman John Hugenholtz, who designed Zandvoort. It is located a few kilometers from one of the Honda factories. The genius idea was to have the track cross in the middle, which allows for all kinds of curves. Construction of the track began in 1961, along with a gigantic amusement park, now called Suzuka Mobility Land. The first races took place in 1962. At the time, the FIM imposed an international race before awarding an event counting towards the world championships. So, on November 3 and 4, 1962, the first Grand Prix of Japan took place, outside the world championship, with foreign drivers. There had already been a race but with Japanese drivers only.

The motorcycles are therefore real speed racing motorcycles, like the 50 Honda RC112 twin cylinders and the 250 Yamaha RD56 twin, the first Yamaha with rotary distributor intake, and the international riders are Redman, Taveri and Robb for Honda, Perris, Anderson and Degner for Suzuki.
Honda won all the races there, with Tommy Robb (50 and 125cc) and Jim Redman (250 and 350cc).

1963 sees the first Japanese Grand Prix entered in the world championship, with the presence of the famous Ernst Degner, famous defector who went from MZ to Suzuki in 1961, bringing to the Japanese firm all the secrets of the East German firm, then dominant thanks to the work of Walter Kaden.

During the first lap of the 250cc race, Ernst Degner falls and finds himself unconscious in the fire of his motorcycle. Pulled (by his feet) from the blaze, he remained in hospital in Japan for a month. During his convalescence in Germany, he underwent 56 various reconstructive surgeries and other transplants.

The Japanese Grand Prix will take place at Suzuka until 1965 while events 66 and 67 will take place on the circuit of Fuji Speedway. This will provoke great anger from Honda who will not participate in the 1966 edition and will therefore not score any victory. It was the time of technological madness (50cc 3-cylinder Suzuki project, 125cc 5-cylinder Honda project, etc.) but there were no 500cc races yet in Japan.

En 1968, faced with this technological surge, the FIM issues regulations which prohibit 5 and 6 cylinder engines.

Honda, then Suzuki, officially withdrew from Grand Prix racing and the Japanese Grand Prix disappeared for two decades.
He would return to Suzuka from 1987 to 1997.

1999 sees the first use of the brand new Twin Ring Motegi, also owned by Honda.
It is made up of a 4,6 km road circuit and a 2,4 km oval, which gives it its Japanese name of Tsuin Rinku, complete with an amusement park.

Nestled in the middle of the Japanese hills, 100 kilometers north of Tokyo, it is today surrounded, within a 10 kilometer radius, by the three test tracks of the Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI), Hino trucks and UD Trucks trucks (Nissan Diesel).

Only one Frenchman stood on the highest step of the podium; Johann zarco in 125cc in 2011 and in Moto2 in 2015.

Arnaud Vincent did win the 125cc Japanese Grand Prix in 2002, but it then took place again on the Suzuka circuit before settling permanently at Motegi in 2004.