The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (Chairman: Itaru Koeda; "JAMA") will hold the 39th Tokyo Motor Show - Passenger Cars & Motorcycles - (2005) at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba City for 17 days from Friday, October 21 to Sunday, November 6 (exhibition open to the public beginning Saturday, October 22).
The theme for this year's show is "'Driving Tomorrow!' from Tokyo." It expresses the Tokyo Motor Show's commitment to being the festive place where people can experience the world's most advanced technologies and designs, while at the same time serving as a source of up-to-the-minute information on interactions between the automobile and motorized society, focusing on the evolution of the automobile in ever more environment-friendly directions.
At the current point in time, 239 companies, 5 governments and 1 organization from 13 countries and 1 region, including Japan, are expected to participate. The number of exhibitors declined by 24 companies in the Parts and Carrozzeria Sections compared to the 37th show (the most recent "Passenger Cars & Motorcycles" show, held in 2003), but the exhibition space is roughly on par with the 37th show at approximately 40,000 m2.
The Tokyo Motor Show has more than half a century of history behind it, having first begun at Hibiya Park in 1954. This year's show marks the start of a new half-century, and a number of special events are on the calendar to commemorate this milestone. As in previous years, the show also features a wide variety of "audience participation, hands-on" special programs and is designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of visitors, including women and families.
To alleviate congestion, this year's show has been extended by four days to 17 days and includes three weekends. It has also scheduled a special viewing for people in wheelchairs on the afternoon of Thursday, October 20, the second Press Day, to provide wheelchair users with an opportunity to see the show more comfortably (viewing begins at 1:00 p.m.). To further enhance visitor services, the number of "priority seats" reserved for elderly visitors will be substantially increased from 450 at the 37th show to 600 seats at this year's show. Advance tickets are scheduled to go on sale on Saturday, October 1.
This is the last year that a show devoted to "passenger cars & motorcycles" will be held. Beginning 2007 the Tokyo Motor Show will be redesigned as a new integrated show that includes commercial vehicles and commercial vehicle bodies and is held every two years.
This year's Tokyo Motor Show boasts of a great variety of premieres with 79 World Premieres (compared to 84 for the 37th show in 2003) and 120 Japan Premieres (compared to 106 for the 37th show in 2003).
The show has been extended by four days to 17 days, including three weekends, to help alleviate congestion. This makes it the longest of any major international motor show in the world, exceeding even the 16 days of the Paris Motor Show (2004). This puts it on par with the longest Tokyo Motor Show ever held, which was the 15th show in 1968, running at Harumi for 17 days between Saturday, October 26 and Monday, November 11 . This year's target is 1.5 million visitors, well above the 1.42 million recorded for the 37th show.
Press Days are scheduled for Wednesday, October 19 and Thursday, October 20. The Special Guest Day (Opening Ceremony) will be on Friday, October 21. The show will be open to the public from Saturday, October 22 to Sunday, November 6. Opening hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays.
This year, the Tokyo Motor Show plans a number of special events that will look back on its first half-century of history. It also has a wide lineup of special "audience-participation, hands-on" programs to satisfy visitors regardless of their interests.
We began to offer test rides of fuel cell, hybrid and other "clean energy" vehicles at the 37th show, and they will be available again this year, with nearby Makuhari Seaside Park serving as the main venue. Rides will be available from the first Press Day on Wednesday, October 19 to the end of the show on Sunday, November 6. The lineup includes 13 vehicles from 7 companies, with electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles making their first appearances.
Symposiums are open to the general public and provide an opportunity to come in contact with the latest information on automobiles and the automotive industry. Seven themes are scheduled for this year, including safety, environment, automobile-taxation, barrier-free vehicles and carrozzeria. Symposiums will be held every day between Saturday, October 29 and Saturday, November 5 (excluding Friday, November 4).
The Carrozzeria Exhibit features original cars from car manufactures in Japan and other countries. The Tokyo Motor Show had its first Carrozzeria Exhibit at the 37th show, and it was so popular that we have brought it back again. Eight companies from U.S.A. and Japan are currently scheduled to exhibit.
The Festival Park is the site for experience-oriented traffic safety events and motorcycle trial demonstrations designed to educate visitors about traffic safety. A stage car set up within the park will be the site of the talk shows and also the Traffic Moral Saver Anzenger performances, a traffic safety education attraction that has been extraordinarily popular with children since the 37th show. The Chiba Prefectural Police will provide displays of patrol cars and police motorcycles, and conduct their own traffic safety events as well.
This event, which is geared towards elementary school-aged children to widen their horizons and experiences, provides the opportunity to experience motorcycles under the guidance of expert instructors. The Nippon Motorcycle Association (NMCA) has sponsored similar events around Japan and this is the first time to be held at the Tokyo Motor Show. School will be in session each Saturday and holiday during the show period (total of 7 days).
The Asahi Shimbun and Asahi Shogakusei Shimbun will provide corporation for "Clean Energy Vehicle Classes" that will help to improve school children's understanding of this important technology. Classes will be attended by children from elementary schools mainly in the Chiba area who have been invited to participate as part of the general education program (enrollment of 450 students) as well as elementary school students selected from general applicants by the Asahi Shimbun and Asahi Shogakusei Shimbun (enrollment of 420 students). They will use experiment kits in an interesting, enjoyable, easy-to-understand learning experience.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. will sponsor a test drive corner for "Gran Turismo 4," a racing game exclusively for the "PlayStation 2." At the "Gran Turismo 4 Test Drive Arena," visitors will be able to try their hand and a wide range of cars, including the latest sports and racing cars and the classic vehicles of the past. Also available will be the "Tourist Trophy" motorcycle game, another "PlayStation 2" exclusive that will be launched this winter. Visitors will be among the first in the world to get a look at the game.
The Tomy Co., Ltd. is sponsoring a veritable world of miniature cars that will delight adults as well as children. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the "TOMICA," and this important milestone will be celebrated with a retrospective exhibit that examines the entire line, from the very first model to the very latest. In addition to the Tokyo Motor Show Commemorative TOMICA that has become one of the Show's traditions, Tomy will also be selling Tokyo Motor Show Commemorative "Aero RC" radio controlled cars, the first time it has brought them to the Show.
JCB Co., Ltd. is sponsoring a limited edition of 10,000 "TOKYO MOTOR SHOW QUICPay/JCB Cards" that make use of its "QUICPay" non-contact IC payment service. The card will make it possible to enjoy the Tokyo Motor Show "cashless." In addition to carrying electronic ticket information, it can also be used to make payments at temporary restaurants, official merchandise shops and Japanese Motor Vehicles Guidebook shops throughout the Show. Application can be made from the JCB web site at http://www.jcb.co.jp/campaign/tms2/index.html
The Tokyo Motor Show has made many improvements in visitor services. Below are the highlights:
The Tokyo Motor Show held its first special viewing for people in wheelchairs during the 37th show. The viewing enables people in wheelchairs to enjoy the show in a more comfortable, less crowded environment. This year's viewing is scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, October 20, the second Press Day (viewing begins at 1:00 p.m.). Admission is free for the wheelchair user and up to 2 accompanying people. Applications were accepted on the Tokyo Motor Show Official Web Site from Monday, August 1 until Tuesday, September 20.
The permanent facilities at Makuhari Messe were declared completely smoke-free beginning Friday, April 1, 2005. Three smoking booths are provided on the 2nd floor of the Central Mall in the International Exhibition Hall as well as smoking areas in the outside rest zones.
During the 37th show, priority seats for elderly visitors were designated as their rest spaces, and they were so well received that we have substantially increased their number from 450 to 600 seats this year.
Advance tickets will go on sale on Saturday, October 1 at JR East Midori no Madoguchi and View Plaza, selected travel agencies (JTB, Kinki Nippon Tourist, etc.), ticket agencies (Ticket pia, CN Playguide, and other ticket agencies in the greater Tokyo area) and convenience stores (Seven-Eleven, Lawson etc.). In addition, discount afternoon tickets, which can be available from 3:00 p.m. on weekdays, will be offered.
| Admissions ticket | Adults | Junior high and high schoolstudents | Elementary school students and under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advance ticket <from Saturday, October 1 to Friday, October 21> |
¥1,000 | ¥500 | Free |
| Regular ticket |
¥1,200 | ¥600 | Free |
| Afternoon ticket (Sold only at the gates and JR Kaihin Makuhari Stationduring show days) |
¥1,000 | ¥500 | Free |
| Group tickets <30 people or more> | ¥1,000 | ¥500 | Free |
*Group tickets: No distinction between advance/regular tickets for groups (30 people or more). Available only through travel agencies or at the gates during show days.
