[WRC] Rally Japan

[Livewireshock]

Rally Guide 1 has just been released for Rally Japan 2020. It has been interesting looking that the choice of stages that they have selected. Nice way to spend a while, looking at the stages on Google Street View, where it is possible.

It looks quite scenic. With a mix of tight, narrow mountain roads with some faster smoother sections to the east of Nagoya and Toyota.

https://rally-japan.jp/en/wp-content...yGuide1_en.pdf

[AnttiL]

https://www.rally-maps.com/Rally-Japan-2020

The SS1 tunnel is interesting...

[Livewireshock]

There are plenty of videos available on YouTube for SS9/14 Shinshiro City as it is a popular tourist driving road, Hongusan Skyline. It is a wide and free flowing stage, unlike some of the narrow twisting mountain roads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VeTuvnNh5I

This video shows the road in rally direction, but starts at the exact road start, not at the SS start in the park just prior to the turnoff. The SS will finish just after the mass of radio towers near a large carpark.

[Livewireshock]

For a video at rally speed, this is the Shinshiro Rally that was held in March this year in the same area as the WRC Rally Japan. Although this All Japan Rally Championship event was a single day, much shorter stage length rally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWN0s12zYEI

Yes, this video is in Japanese only but it is still fun to watch.

[Livewireshock]

Unfortunately there has been some bad news from Japan. Many complaints have been received from the public about bad, reckless and unsafe driving along the intended rally route, since the publication of Rally Guide 1 for Rally Japan. I hope this does not lead to a falling out with the general public and the rally organisers, who have enough to contend with already without having to deal with irresponsible fans.

ラリージャパン2020のルートにおける暴走行為に関して

7月16日（木）にラリーガイド１を公表いたしましたが、その後、愛知県・岐阜県内のコースと推定される地 域において、危険な運転行為があったとの苦情が届いております。ラリージャパン運営事務局は、皆様がラリー ジャパンのコースを推定し、そのルートで道路交通法を無視した暴走行為、危険走行、または大音量を発生させ るといった、住民の皆様に多大なるご迷惑をおかけする行為があってはならないことだと考えております。こう したことが繰り返される場合、道路使用が許可されず、結果としてSS設定のキャンセルまたはラリージャパン の開催が不可能となることが予想されます。ラリージャパンの開催をお待ちいただいている皆様、そしてラリー ファンの皆様におかれましては、くれぐれもこうした行為をされないよう、心よりお願い申し上げ ます。

ラリージャパン運営事務局

Machine translation as follows

Rally Japan 2020 route runaway
We announced Rally Guide 1 on Thursday, July 16th, but since then, we have received complaints about dangerous driving behavior in areas estimated to be courses in Aichi and Gifu prefectures. The Rally Japan Administration Secretariat will cause a great deal of inconvenience to the residents, such as estimating the Rally Japan course and causing dangerous driving or generating a loud volume on the route due to runaway ignoring the Road Traffic Law. We believe that there should be no actions. If this is repeated, it is expected that road use will not be permitted, resulting in the inability to cancel the SS setting or hold Rally Japan. I would like to ask all of you who are waiting for the opening of Rally Japan, and all of the rally fans, to take this precaution.


Rally Japan Management Office

http://rally-japan.jp

[GigiGalliNo1]

Also, like NZ and Australia - travel restrictions are in place.

Japan aren't letting in foreigners easily.

Rally Japan may be cancelled.

https://translate.google.com.au/tran...s%2F15161.html

[GigiGalliNo1]

Rally Japan 2020 has been cancelled.

19th August, 2020

The FIA World Rally Championship’s "Rally Japan 2020" is called off, focus now turns to 2021
Because of the COVID-19 impacts, Rally Japan 2020, which was scheduled to be held in Aichi and Gifu Prefectures in this coming November, has been called off unfortunately. Please accept our sincere apologies to the fans who have long waited for the event to come.

Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, the Japanese government has adopted an entry restriction policy, as a border enforcement measure, for international visitors from many countries since March, and it is expected to continue for a while. Rally Japan was scheduled to be the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship, and most of the crews and officials are based in Europe. For hosting the event scheduled in this autumn, the Executive Committee had negotiations with many parties and authorities including the government and its ministers and agencies, but the conclusion is that there is no prospects of ensuring the entries to Japan in November of hundreds of people involved, such as the crews, officials and others, at this moment - three months away from the event dates. This is a tough decision for all who have been involved in the bid process and event preparation of Rally Japan over two and a half years. However, the Executive Committee determined that further delay would adversely affect the relevant individuals and parties. We sincerely appreciate your understanding.

We will now start the preparation for the next edition, which is included as an autumn event in the 2021 WRC calendar draft, and would like to ask for your continued support to bring you more amazing event.
Koji Takahashi

Chairman of Rally Japan 2020 Executive Committee

[Fast Eddie WRC]

No surprise but another huge disappointment for their fans.