Having won the TT-F1 championships many times over, Kawasaki is the king of 4-stroke motorcycles. Kawasaki is also known for producing well-known riders. Kawasaki's rich character and daring presence continue to win the hearts of its fans. The SB class is now the pinnacle class of the all-Japan championship, and the wind of the times is blowing in Kawasaki's favor. One day, Kawasaki, the iconic motorcycle company, approached Akira. He had no objection whatsoever to transferring to a company that was well-positioned at the shortest distance to winning the championship. Thus, Akira joined Kawasaki as a company rider in 1995. He quickly blended in with the team, which welcomed him with open arms. The four motorcycle manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, sent their machines and riders to the pinnacle SB class, where pomp-filled, tough battles were fought.
In the 8-hour endurance in 1995, Akira paired with Katsuaki Fujiwara and was placed third on the podium, and in sixth place in the all-Japan raking. In the 8-hour endurancce in 1996, he paired with Shinya Takeishi and was placed fifth on the podium and sixth place in the all-Japan ranking. Although he was still quite a ways from the championship title, his fans were captivated by Akira's daring riding style. During such a time, Akira made a breakthrough. His ability to adapt easily, his natural-born talent, was brought to full play at Shah Alam and Johor in Malaysia as well as Phillip Island in Australia where he happened to be doing overseas test rides. He quickly grasped the characteristics of the courses and discovered the time-up points, and updated the running time without any difficulty. This experience eventually led to riding the overseas races of his dreams.
Kawasaki which was considering sending a Japanese rider to the world super-bike (SBK) races, chose Akira. Actually, he did not fare very well in the SBK Sugo Grand Prix held in the previous year. He flipped his motorcycle during the first heat race and broke his collarbone. In the all-Japan Suzuka race, he was rear-ended in the first corner, injuring again the collarbone that was just recovering, and ended in ninth place. Although he came in fifth in the 8-hour endurance race, the results were far from a dream come true. For this reason, Akira was overjoyed when Kawasaki chose to send him to the SBK races. Akira was deeply touched by the big hearts of the Kawasaki people who were not swayed by short-term results. In 1995, Akira married Shigemi, who was his classmate. With the help of Shigemi, who is bilingual through her studies abroad, Akira started in 1997 to ride the SBK races for five years.

One race that is etched into Akira's memory is the Eighth SBK Austria A1 Ring race held on August 17, 1997. The circuit is located in a mountainous area in southern Austria. Against a pastoral background, the circuit consists of a twisting course with many ups and downs. Kawasaki conducted a private test in May and participated in the group test in June. Here, he set the time record for the second runner-up, which helped him build self-confidence. He had a strong showing despite the race being his first overseas, with long stretches of unfamiliar course. He came in second at the Hockenheim race in Germany, allowing him some expectation of victory. The proper conditions for his victory were all there - the preliminary tests that were conducted on site and the fact that the SBK grand prix was held there for the first time. He experienced some mechanical problems, could not make the pole position, but was the second runner-up in the early qualifying. In the first heat race, he captured the hole shot and scrambled to the top. Unexpectedly, he miscounted the number of laps, missed the proper timing for moving on, let Carl Forgarty (Ducati) take the lead, and reached the checker flag in second place. In the second heat race, Akira set a course record amid medium rain. He remained at the top as the rain got heavier. Akira pulled away from Aaron Slight, who trailed right behind, ultimately becoming the first Japanese rider to win an overseas SBK championship.
It was truly a memorable race. Both of his parents, who supported him both openly and behind the scenes, were present to root for him. So was his wife Shigemi, who witnessed Akira's overseas victory for the first time. Upon hearing the Japanese anthem, Kimigayo, being played overseas, Akira became acutely aware that he was representing Japan, and touched his heart. Surrounded by the green lawn, the A1 Ring was wet with rain, and looked beautiful as if it appeared to celebrate Akira's victory. With this victory serving as a trigger, Akira was quickly recognized as the top rider of SBK races. He finally found where he belonged. He made great strides that year, being ranked in fourth place.
In 1998, he traveled to the United States for a race, where he had a major accident at the famous Corkscrew corner at Laguna Seca. Totally unconscious, he was flown to the hospital on a helicopter. Although this accident caused many people to worry about him, the invincible Akira recovered at an astonishing speed that surprised even his doctor. He was ranked in seventh place. He was in fifth place in 1999, fifth place again in 2000, and ninth place in 2001. He paired with Hitoyasu Izutsu in an 8-hour endurance that was held between these races. They livened up the summer event by fighting hard for the top spot. Akira adjusted easily regardless of the setup or the type of rider. He raised the average of the paired rider, and promptly caught up with it. His craftsman-like technique of boosting team power by making his partner shine is uniquely his own. This is one of Akira's qualities that amazes racing fans. Together with a Ninja ZX-7RR, he continued his battles in circuits around the world, where he left proven records and brilliant images in the minds of his fans.
Looking back to those days, Akira said, "My oldest son Shotaro was born during the time I was competing in the SBK races. This gave us a chance to do a European tour as a family. We immersed ourselves in the motorcycle culture of Europe, and made many friends in ways that were only possible because we had a child. Those five years allowed me to mature both as a rider and a person."

In 2002, Kawasaki pushed forward towards a colossal project to develop the MotoGP. Chosen to be a test rider, Akira returned to Japan. The yearning for challenging the pinnacle races of the world smoldered deep in Akira's heart. To create a racer machine, the motorcycle manufacturer gathers the essence of all the available cutting-edge technologies. The attractiveness of such a state-of-the-art machine hit Akira with a punch. Kawasaki sent a prototype to the all-Japan grand prix and entrusted it to Akira. For all Kawasaki fans around the world, the prospect of Akira competing in a MotoGP race in Motegi Circuit was an exciting event, and the whole world focused on his actions. However, with the bike still in its prototype stages, he could not produce the desired results. In 2003, Akira ran the MotoGP race at Suzuka Circuit and was ranked in 18th place. In the same year, Akira was scheduled to compete in a spot run in an overseas round for the pinnacle MotoGP race. However, due to an injury he sustained in an earlier race, he had to hold back his tears for not being able to participate in the pinnacle race.
In 2004, Kawasaki wanted Akira to work on the development of the MotoGP. However, Akira could not suppress his desire to race. He spent each and every restless day frustrated by the prospect of spending the rest of his life as a development rider. Off season, when his contract came up for renewal, he announced that he would compete in the races as a private person. Understanding Akira's wish to race, Kawasaki made arrangements to allow Akira to compete in the races as a member of Team Green. Kawasaki had again extended a helping hand to Akira, which he gladly accepted.
For Akira, competing in the world's pinnacle stage is a dream come true. However, regardless of the field, he felt a sense of fulfillment that comes from competing in a race. It did not matter whether it was a minibike race, all-Japan, or world grand prix. With a Ninja ZX-10R, Akira started competing in the 2004 all-Japan JSB1000. With a riding style that manifested his joy of racing, he made rapid progress to be ranked in fifth place.
The long-sought victory for Team Green finally arrived. On October 16, 2005, it was the seventh race at Okayama. After raining the previous day, this day of the final race turned sunny. Kosuke Akiyoshi was at the top. Akira quickly caught up with Akiyoshi, and became the top runner after a hairpin curve. Although Atsushi Watanabe (Suzuki) and Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Honda) pushed aggressively, Akira shook them off with all his might and achieved victory. The Team Green staff was overjoyed and congratulated Akira so much that he felt embarrassed. He told the staff that it was a great weight off his shoulders to be able to present them with the victory. Confidently, he stood in the middle of the podium and joined in a lavish champagne fight. The shiny mist of the champagne rode the brisk wind of early autumn and danced slowly. That year, Akira advanced to third place. There were some races that he regretted, especially because there were chances to win the title. Nonetheless, Akira gave all he had throughout the season. He was ranked in fifth place in 2006, ninth place in 2007, and third place in 2008. Thus, he continued to work vigorously as a top rider.

With his wife Shigemi, son Shotaro, and daughter Sara, the family of four toured all over Japan in a huge motor home, much like they do in Europe. His family was the source of energy that he applied to the races. Akira said, "Kawasaki has many distinctive mechanics, exuding with energy. There is a lot of power in terms of their seriousness about races and their stoic attitude towards objectives. They pull no punches, and their enthusiasm gives me the motivation to race. They create a unique, sometimes humorous, ambience to enjoy the path to the races. Because I'm here with Kawasaki, I'm able to put everything I got into the races."
Motorsport is a type of sport that requires implements. Offense and defense tactics must be devised towards victory, while various elements are taken into account. The elements intermesh with each other, including the finished quality of the machine, the skill of the rider to bring the machine's potential into full play, as well as the actions of the competitors. Matters that determine the outcome of a race are full of uncertainty. All the effort that is put into a race does not necessarily produce favorable results. More frequently, the outcome is less than desirable. A coach once told Akira, "Racing is tough and demanding. That's why you have to enjoy it when you can." Those words are etched deep in Akira's mind. The strength to appreciate all situations forms the basis of Kawasaki. Packed with proprietary Kawasaki technologies, the unique machines captivate Kawasaki fans around the world. The enjoyment they feel for riding those machines is the same enjoyment that is felt by Akira. Now, Akira's objectives are "winning the 8-hour endurance, the regional Autopolis, and the title." This sums up the challenges that awaken the fighting spirit of Akira, who, after 20 years, continues to compete as a top rider. The unyielding spirit of Kawasaki lives on.