When I first game to Japan, one of the things that took me by surprise was the large number of original Mini Coopers that I would see driving around. Since seeing older Minis is pretty rare in the states, I was delighted to see them all over the place here. Then again the original Mini was sold in Japan for a LONG time. I guess when you think about it, the Mini is a perfect choice for zipping around Japan's tiny roads. I also think they have more style and character than a lot of the typical econoboxes found in Japan.
In addition, the Mini makes for a popular choice among weekend racers in Japan. The Idlers Club events in particular feature a strong contingent of track-tuned Minis. Here are some photos I took of the Idlers Minis during the this year's spring race at Tsukuba. Like with a lot of foreign cars here, the Japanese have added their own style to them, and the old school JDM wheels add a nice touch to these Minis.
Now for the photos-
-Mike Garrett