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| Declaring Entry in the Isle of Man TT Races (1953) |
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The Declaration of Entry in the Isle of Man TT Race was made public on March 20, 1954. It is uncertain when Honda and Fujisawa had started talking over the plan with each other. In the past, the two got together to share their ideas and dreams in sessions that went on day after day and all through the night. That was after they had first met, and it may be that President Honda had told him about his dream of someday competing in this race. The declaration is written in impassioned prose filled with intensity. Fujisawa, having fully absorbed Honda’s intentions, composed the declaration himself. He wrote it after Baba and Omura returned to Japan. The declaration says: “I had thought that I was seeing the world with a fair degree of realism, without being caught up in fixed ideas, but now I realize that, after all, I have been blinded by my excessive feeling for Japan in its present situation.” The excursion to São Paulo showed Honda that he had been thinking “like a frog in a well that knows nothing of the sea,” and his desire to take on new challenges flamed up brightly. There wasn’t a moment to lose in entering the competition to overtake the world, and he needed a venue. It was still too soon for a struggle in the marketplace. Honda had no products to export to the advanced countries. Racing, however, offered an opportunity to compete with the rest of the world. Apart from the declaration for in-house use, there was also a public announcement that was distributed to agents, dealers, affiliated manufacturers, and the mass media. The content was mostly the same, but the announcement text was longer. The announcement contained this passage: “If this becomes an opportunity for the motor vehicle industry to begin exporting.” These words are deeply significant. So long as Honda remained caught up in its reliance on the Japanese domestic market, it could not hope to achieve true growth. Honda and Fujisawa had glimpsed a great goal in the further distance, and it is given clear expression in this passage. |
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