On the evening of Thursday 21st November 2024, the Opening Ceremony to kick off Rally Japan 2024 was held at Toyota Stadium. All the competing cars and drivers gathered at the venue.
The event began at 4:50pm with the national anthem, followed by an opening declaration by FORUM8 President Yuji Ito, the title sponsor of the rally, and then the drivers and co-drivers entered the stadium one by one through the central gate, as their names were displayed on the large screen.
The drivers were introduced as the sun set, and after the driver interviews by race announcer Pierre Kitagawa and the commemorative photo session with Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda, the spectators sent the drivers off one by one using the flashlight function on their smartphones.
The competition then began at 19:05 with SS1 track built upon the Toyota Stadium grounds.
