Tokyo - Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has announced that it will support the largest FIA-certified cross country rally in Asia - the "Asia Cross Country Rally 2008" - to be held from August 10 (Sunday) through 16 (Saturday) in Thailand. The company has sponsored the rally for consecutive eight years, beginning in 2001.

The Asia Cross Country Rally began in 1997 to promote international goodwill and friendship among Asian nations. In contrast to the Dakar Rally, formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, as well as a popular rally in Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, in which driving is primarily across deserts, in the Asia Cross Country Rally vehicles compete over a challenging course of about 2,500 kilometers, including dirt, mud, sand, jungle, mountain roads and river crossings. The course of this year will start from Bangkok and finish at Phuket, Thailand. Every year more than 30 vehicles are expected to participate in the rally from Asia and Europe.

As last year, Yokohama will support Takuma Aoki, who will race in the T1-D class (for modified commercial diesel vehicles), supplying him with GEOLANDAR M/T+ SUV off-road tires. Last year, his first in the competition, Mr. Aoki took seventh place overall and is expected to finish higher this time.