Yanagawa back for Kawasaki at Motegi.

"Obviously, as a Japanese factory team, the grand prix at Motegi is an important race for us. For this reason we have decided to field three riders, with Akira Yanagawa joining Randy de Puniet and Anthony West aboard a third Ninja ZX-RR for this event," stated Kawasaki competition manager Michael Bartholemy.

Yanagawa is best known for his World Superbike exploits between 1997 and 2002, when he scored 23 podiums - including three wins - but he was also the rider that developed the original ZX-RR MotoGP bike during and rode it at its debut in the 2002 Pacific Grand Prix, also at Motegi.

However, the 36-year-old crashed out of the event (pictured), breaking his pelvis in the process, so Andrew Pitt was drafted in to replace him for the remaining three rounds. After the disappointment of 2002, Yanagawa feels he has unfinished business and is looking forward to racing the latest 800cc incarnation of the ZX-RR.

"The first time I raced the Ninja ZX-RR was also at Motegi, when Kawasaki made their long awaited return to grand prix racing after an absence of more than two decades. On that occasion I crashed out of the race, so I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to finally finish what I started five years ago," he confirmed. "I'm under no illusions about how tough it will be, racing against the very best riders in the world, but I hope that I will be able to finish in the points and also provide important feedback for Kawasaki's development engineers. For me, race day will be about enjoying the chance to race the latest version of Kawasaki's Ninja ZX-RR and finishing as high up the order as I can."

"Akira last rode the Ninja ZX-RR in a grand prix back in 2003, as a wild card at Catalunya, but he's kept his racing skills sharp competing in the All Japan Superbike Championship, which he's currently leading aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R," added Bartholemy. "I think it will be interesting for Akira to see just how far the Ninja ZX-RR has progressed since he last raced it, and we're certainly looking forward to seeing him finish his home MotoGP race aboard the bike this time around."

The Japanese GP will mark the second time this season that Kawasaki has fielded a three rider line-up, following Roger Lee Hayden's appearance at the US GP. It had been rumoured that Hayden would return for a second ride at the Japanese round.