Whilst pleased th✨at his MotoGP rivals ultimately decided to attend this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, Hiroshi Aoyama joked that a rider boycott would have given him a home win.

All riders but Aoyama had raised concerns about the risk of radiation from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power💧plant, ꦕaround 110km from Motegi.

Independent reports li♓sted the risk as negligible and the objectors - led by title contenders Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo, then Valentino Rossi - gradually fell back into line.

The full 17-rider line-up (with the injured Loris Capirossi replaced) will thus be present this weekend, plus two wild-card rideไrs from Honda.

"Initially many riders said they don't w🍨ant to go to Japan. Obviously I thought maybe I can win the race!" smiled Aoyama on Thursday.

"But finally I'm happy that everyone is here. For sure as a rider they are very great♚ rivals, so it makes things harder for me, but it is good ♉for the fans."

The San Carlo Honda Gresini rider hopes the MotoGP event will help send a positiv♉e message to the people still suffering n the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the region in March.

"There is not much we can do ༒directly [to help], but we can give some positive energy and mentality to the people," he said.

Aoyama is tenth in the 2011⛎ world championship, his s💜econd season in the premier-class, with a best race finish of fourth.