Career
He was runner-up in the 1994 250cc and in the 1997 500cc World Championship. Honda then entered him into the 250cc World Championship in 1993. He was runner-up in the series in 1994, and fourth in 1995.
Okada stepped up to 500cc in 1996, helping develop the V-twin Honda NSR500V and finished the season in 7th overall.
In 1997, he had three wins and finished second to Mick Doohan. He missed several races in 1998 due to a wrist injury but bounced back in 1999 to finish third in the championship, with wins at Assen, Brno and Phillip Island.
After a largely unsuccessful 2000 he switched to the Superbike World Championship for 2001, without winning a race although taking three podium finishes and 8th overall. Okada chose to retire at the end of the year.
He made a one-off wildcard appearance at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix at Mugello in June, finishing 14th, in the first race for the pneumatic valved Honda RC212V.
