This year's Tokyo Motor Show? JAMA Be There (but most of the world's automakers won't)

Chris Paukert — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Marketing/Advertising, Tokyo Motor Show, Earnings/Financials

What if one of the world's preeminent auto nations threw a party and nobody came? That's the question on everyone's minds today as the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) has announced that most of the world's major automakers have decided to sit out this fall's show.

We already knew about the Detroit 3 taking a pass, but now, word from Automotive News is that Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, Renault, Volkswagen and Volvo will apparently be skipping out as well. In a news conference that JAMA chairman Satoshi Aoki called a "once-in-a-hundred-years crisis," the organization confirmed to media members that just 122 exhibitors will hawk their wares - nearly half of 2007's total of 241. The departure of those manufacturers represents a loss estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars for JAMA and the local economy (if not more), as costs associated with mounting a single show stand often reaches into seven-figures.

Of those 241 parties that still remain, Japan's eight primary automakers have signed on (Daihatsu, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota), and Hyundai will join as well. On the high-end front, only Alpina, Lotus, Ferrari, Maserati, and Porsche have committed.

Rumors swirled as recently as in January that the show might be canceled altogether, but organizers have evidently decided that a scaled-down show is better than no show at all. Other outlets are reporting that JAMA will reduce the event's Makuhari Messe footprint from four show halls to two. Additionally, public days are reportedly shortening up as well, with the original run of October 23 to November 8 being cut down - the show will now close November 4.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req]

This year's Tokyo Motor Show? JAMA Be There (but most of the world's automakers won't) originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JAMA says Tokyo Motor Show may be cancelled

Michael Harley — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Tokyo Motor Show

Blaming the global financial crisis, and the fact that fewer non-Japanese automakers have signed up to exhibit, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers' Association is in the midst of debating whether or not to cancel the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. The show is set to run this Oct. 23-Nov. 8. If canceled, it won't open its doors again until 2011 due to scheduling agreements with other top-tier auto shows. Toshihiro Iwatake, JAMA's executive director and secretary general, told Automotive News that he favors going ahead with the show regardless. "We think the motor show is a symbol of industrial prosperity," he said. "We have to show that our industry is healthy." Iwatake added that the deadline for automakers to register was late last year, and some of the "usual manufacturers" hadn't made the cut... but he wouldn't say which manufacturers hadn't booked the show.

The North American International Auto Show is in full swing this week even with the absence of industry players such as Nissan, Suzuki, Porsche, and Land Rover. Each of the Detroit 3 are strongly present. If one of the Japanese Big 3 (Toyota, Honda, and Nissan) pull out of the Tokyo Motor Show, the event could face certain doom say industry sources. The decision on whether or not to cancel the Tokyo Motor Show will be made next month. In the meantime, Iwatake says that JAMA is welcoming late registrants.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

JAMA says Tokyo Motor Show may be cancelled originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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