Japan observes Motorcycle Day with safety campaigns and anime popularity poll

In Japan, August 19 marks ‘Motorcycle Day,’ a date chosen through wordplay. In Beppu, Oita Prefecture, local police and officials conducted street awareness campaigns to urge riders to practice safe driving ahead of the autumn touring season. The campaign comes amid a rise in fatalities; Oita Prefecture has reported nine motorcycle-related deaths so far in 2026, a figure three times higher than the total for 2025.

Coinciding with the day, a reader survey conducted by Anime! Anime! explored popular anime characters associated with motorcycles. Chiyasu Hagiwara from ‘Detective Conan’ took first place with approximately 17 percent of the vote, followed by Chuya Nakahara from ‘Bungo Stray Dogs’ in second, and Shotaro Kaneda from ‘AKIRA’ in third.