Meetings between the FIM and Japanese industry Meetings were held in Tokyo on Thursday and Friday and in Suzuka on Sunday between FIM President Vito Ippolito and FIM Sports Director Ignacio Verneda, and Senior Executives of each of the four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, among them Messrs Takeo Fukui, Honda Motor Company President, Takashi Kajikawa, Yamaha Motor Company President, Hirotaka Ono, Suzuki Motor Corporation Board Member, Senior Executive Director and Masamoto Tazaki, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Chairman of the Board. Moreover, the FIM delegation (also including FIM Vice-President Robert Rasor, Chairman of the Working Group on Alternative Energies, CCR President Claude Danis and CTI President Oriol Puig Bulto) met representatives of the Japanese manufacturers together yesterday at the Flower Garden Hotel near the Suzuka circuit. The following topics were presented: global problem of sound level, essentially in the off-road area, alternative energies, the presence of women in motorcycling, and, among the sporting subjects, the future of 125cc and 250cc classes in Grand Prix, the harmonisation of Superbike Technical Rules for all the major existing National Championships, new Technical Rules for Superbike as from 2010 (motorcycles closer to production series), support of the industry for the Endurance World Championship, future of existing classes in Motocross and Enduro, use of 2-stroke engines for youth classes, events outside Europe for Enduro and Trial World Championships, classes for young riders in Trial (50cc, 80cc, 125cc), and the possibility for the Japanese industry to provide engines for all classes in the existing Speedway and Ice Racing World Championships. The FIM has decided to establish a strategic plan in order to define its short, mid-term and long-term objectives. The support and input of the Japanese industry, as a major stakeholder of motorcycle sport, will be requested. The FIM would like to establish a permanent and regular line of communication with the Japanese industry on various matters involving the different motorcycle sport disciplines as well as for non-sporting aspects (motorcycle users, road safety and public policy, etc.). Other meetings will be soon scheduled with representatives of the other motorcycle industries, aiming at strengthening the relationships between them and FIM and discussing the future of motorcycling in all areas.