This just in from HRC:
HONDA RACING INFORMATION
AOYAMA CONGRATULATED BY PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN
Recently crowned 250 World Champion Hiroshi Aoyama has received a
personal message of congratulations from Yukio Hatoyama, Prime
Minister of Japan.
Mr. Hiroshi AOYAMA
We congratulate your World Champion title in FIM Road Racing World
Championship.
We believe that the World champion title is the evidence of
accumulation of your everyday effort
We also would like to congratulate very important persons, supporter,
family, and team members.
Japanese athletes' activities in the world will give a dream and hope
to young generation in Japan.
We strongly wish your continuous success in your activity.
Yukio Hatoyama
The Prime Minister
Hiroshi Aoyama said of the honour: "When I was told that I received a
letter from the Prime Minister of Japan I couldn't believe it. It's a
great honour and I'm very proud. Nowadays motorcycle sport is not so
popular and I was really happy to know that the Prime Minister
watched the race and wrote a letter addressed to me. I still haven't
realized that I won the World Championship and to receive such an
important letter makes me realize the importance and the echo of this."
Aoyama was crowned 250 World Champion at the season-ending Valencia
Grand Prix on Sunday November 8. He scored four victories and a
further three podium finishes aboard his Scot Honda RS250RW on his
way to the title. Next year the 28-year-old Japanese ace moves up to
the premier MotoGP World Championship, riding a Honda RC212V machine.