During a relatively short history, the race has established itself as an international contest with winners from Japan, North America, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy.

An American mare triumphed as five-year-old Mairzy Doates, trained by John Fulton and partnered by Cash Asmussen, came home a length in front of the Canadian-trained Frost King, with The Very One, another from America, in third.

There was again an American-trained victor in 1982, with three-year-old Half Iced getting the better of a thrilling battle with French fillies All Along and April Run by a couple of necks, with Stanerra a length back in fourth.

The tough and courageous mare was partnered by regular jockey Brian Rouse in the third running of the Japan Cup and proved a head too strong for the Japanese-trained Kyoei Promise.

and Symboli Rudolf - were winner, instead unfavoured four-year-old colt Katsuragi Ace, which defeated Bedtime, trained in Britain by Major Dick Hern, by a length and a half, took the title.

Jupiter Island became the first British raider to capture the Japan Cup the following year of 1986 when the Clive Brittain-trained seven-year-old just got the better of compatriot Allez Milord, trained by Guy Harwood, by a head under an inspired ride from Pat Eddery.

Owned by the Los Angeles Kings ice hockey team owner Bruce McNall and his superstar player, Wayne Gretzky, Golden Pheasant gave the USA a fourth Japan Cup victory, while the Japanese took the next three renewals with Tokai Teio (1992), Legacy World (1993) and Marvelous Crown (1994).

There had been a number of German challengers for the Japan Cup over the years but it was not until 1995 that a horse from that country proved successful, with five-year-old Lando triumphing under South African-born but British-based jockey Michael Roberts.

British trainer Michael Stoute landed both the 1996 and 1997 Japan Cups with the supremely tough and talented international campaigners Singspiel - by a nose - and Pilsudski - by a neck - respectively.

Singspiel, owned and bred by Sheikh Mohammed, won a total of five Group/Grade One events during his career, including the 1996 Canadian International Stakes and the 1997 Dubai World Cup.

T M Opera O went into the 2000 Japan Cup unbeaten that year and emerged with his record intact, scoring by a neck from Meisho Doto with Godolphin's fast-finishing Fantastic Light a nose back in third.

Jungle Pocket continued the Japanese run of success in 2001, with the winner of the Tokyo Yushun sweeping home under French jockey Olivier Peslier to beat T M Opera O by a neck.

Therein the Italian-trained challenger Falbrav, ridden by Frankie Dettori, was a nose too good for the American raider Sarafan in another thrilling finish, with Symboli Kris S a neck away in third.

For the 2003 renewal, the great contest returned to Fuchu and was won by the Japanese-trained Tap Dance City, who triumphed on soft ground by an amazing nine lengths from That's The Plenty.

Deep Impact won the 2006 running in the penultimate race of his career, helping the Sunday Silence colt to his second consecutive Horse of the Year award in Japan.

Vodka's win would make her the 2nd-richest racehorse in Japan and the world; the two-time Breeders' Cup Turf winner Conduit would finish 4th on his final race of his career.

[8] In the 2016 running of the race with a seventeen horse field, the Japanese stallion, Kitasan Black, ridden by Yutaka Take, was triumphant at the Cup with Sounds of Earth placing second and Grand Cheval coming in third.