Nationality: Japanese
Date of Birth: 13th February 1967
Place of Birth: Ibaraki
Height:
Weight:
Maritial Status: married to Yuki
Resides: Kanagawa
Career:
1985 Raced a 400 Yamaha in local championship races.
1986 Raced a TZ250 Yamaha in local championship races.
1987 Second in 250cc national championship, riding RS250 Honda.
1988
Fifth in All Japan Formula Three championship.
Finished 14th in All Japan 250cc championship on RS250 Honda.
Gained international licence.
1989 250cc All Japan champion, riding year-old NSR250 factory machine
1996
Finished fifth in World Superbike championship with seven podium finishes. Won
Suzuka 8 hours race in Japan. Third in Daytona 200 race.
1990 250cc All Japan champion - eight wins from 12 races.
1991 250cc All Japan champion.
1992
13th in 250cc world championship, after fifth place at Japanese GP.
Second in 250cc All Japan championship.
1993
Eighth in 250cc world championship.
Lost end of a finger on left hand and suffered a broken wrist in a crash at
Salzburgring,
Austria.
1994
Second in 250cc world championship, winner of Japanese GP at Suzuka and Argentine
GP at Buenos Aires.
Fourth in Suzuka 8 hours race.
1995
Fourth in 250cc world championship. Winner of Suzuka 8 hours race, partnered
by
Aaron Slight.
1996 Seventh in 500cc world championship.
1997
Second in 500cc world championship, winning first 500cc grand prix at Sentul,
Indonesia
1998
Eighth in 500cc world championship. Suffered a broken left scaphoid in crash
at
Mugello.
1999
Third in 500cc world championship winning at Assen, Holland; Brno, Czech Republic
and Phillip Island, Australia
2000 11th in 500cc world championship
2001 Castrol
Honda Team World Superbike Championship