Rally Japan (ラリージャパン) is a rally competition held in Hokkaidō, Japan. The event made its debut in the FIA World Rally Championship during the 2004 season. From 2004 to 2007, the event was held on the twisty and narrow gravel roads of the Tokachi region near Obihiro. For the 2008 season, the event was moved to the region close to Sapporo, Hokkaidō's main city. Rally Japan was not held in 2009, but returned in 2010 for one year. Rally Japan was planned to return in 2020 to the new location of Nagoya, but was cancelled on August 19 due to COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. It was cancelled again in 2021, and returned as the last rally of the season in 2022.
Chris Atkinson driving his Subaru Impreza WRC in 2006 Rally Japan.
A Daihatsu competitor during a stage in Rikubetsu in 2006.
Sébastien Loeb at the Sapporo Dome during the 2008 event.
Mikko Hirvonen during a road section of the 2007 Rally Japan.
2004 World Rally Championship
The 2004 World Rally Championship was the 32nd season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 16 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Sébastien Loeb in a Citroën Xsara WRC, ahead of Petter Solberg and Markko Märtin. The manufacturers' title was won by Citroën, ahead of Ford and Subaru.
Sébastien Loeb (pictured in 2014) won his first WRC drivers' championship
Defending champion Petter Solberg (pictured in 2017) was runner-up
Citroën secured their second manufacturers' championship
