This race was most notable for Makoto Tamada's home victory starting from pole, as well as Nakano's third place podium for Kawasaki and Barros' climb up to fourth from tenth on the grid.

One day before the race, on Saturday, Daijiro Kato's father presented two minibikes which will be sold this Fall in Japan.

This was done to commemorate his son, who died last year during the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix at the now scrapped Suzuka Circuit after a high-speed collision with the barriers at the Casio Triangle.

Home hero Makoto Tamada has given the Japanese fans something to get exciting for when he took pole position on Saturday with a time of 1:46.673.

The second row of the grid consists out of Max Biaggi in fourth, Colin Edwards in fifth and Marco Melandri in sixth.

Six riders had now been eliminated on the opening lap, but Tamada – who had a bad start and thus lost multiple positions – was not one of the casualties.

Biaggi is also stuck, the marshalls pushing his bike as a wounded Hopkins lies injured in the gravel.

Also at the straight before Turn 11, Sete Gibernau tries to pass Norifumi Abe by going up his inside, failing and having to stay behind him for the time being.

Exiting Turn 11, Nakano's exhaust started to blow some light smoke, but it does not indicate an engine problem.

Lap seven and Tamada now leads his home grand prix, Rossi still right behind him and ready to strike if he makes a mistake, however.

At Turn 10, Rossi goes in a bit too deep and runs wide, allowing Tamada to open up a slight gap.

Tohru Ukawa has crashed out of the race, the Japanese rider walking away unhurt and disappointed as the marshalls recover his bike.

On lap ten, it is revealed that Capirossi – who was taken away by stretcher earlier in the race – has a small fracture in his foot, as well as a minor concussion.

Troy Bayliss has now closed right up to Checa, then Abe suddenly slows down as a mechanical problem ends his good run in fourth, the Japanese shaking his head.

At the straight coming up to Turn 4, Bayliss goes alongside Checa and passes him for sixth, sliding his Marlboro Ducati into the corner and just hanging on.

At the end of the straight, heading up to Turn 4, Barros passes Gibernau by lunging up his inside and outbreaking him entering the corner, moving him up to sixth place.

However, he runs wide, loses momentum exiting the corner and hands Nakano the position at last, the Kawasaki section of fans on the grandstands going wild after he does so.

The Japanese fans at the Camel Honda booth go wild as Tamada approaches the last set of corners and heads onto the start/finish straight, the Japanese briefly looking behind him before doing a wheelie and crossing the line to win the race – his second race win of the season and his MotoGP career.

On the parade lap back to parc-fermé, Rossi shakes hands with Tamada while still on the bike, congratulating him on his win.

Tamada waves at the crowd and a rider shakes his hand as congratulations, then pulls another wheelie in joy.

Nakano waves the Kawasaki flag, celebrating his and the team's first podium in the premier class since their return in 2002.

Tamada also heads to the pits and parc-fermé, then gets greeted cheerfully by his crewmembers – one hugging him and the other holding the Japanese flag.

Then Tamada is announced, sending the home fans into a frenzy, the airhorns blowing and the cheers being heard loudly.

Ikuo Shimizu, then president of the Twin Ring Motegi, hands out third-place trophy to Nakano, the fans clapping loudly as he receives it.