Wataru Yoshikawa took the All Japan Superbike Championship title in 1994 and 1999, also participating in World Superbike and finishing 9th in the 1996 season. In 2003 Yoshikawa finished second at the Suzuka 8 Hours, partnering Shinichi Nakatomi on a Yamaha YZF-R1. Yoshikawa is a test rider for the Yamaha factory, and helped develop the Yamaha YZR-M1, making an appearance at the Japanese round in 2002 and again in 2010 to replace the injured Valentino Rossi on the Fiat Yamaha team at Catalunya.