Ever-changing Japan Mobility Show to convene again in October as annual auto event

TOKYO – The ever-evolving Japan Mobility Show is reinventing itself once again, this time as an annual business and consumer gathering as Tokyo’s premier auto event tries to stay relevant.

The former Tokyo Motor Show changed its name for its last gathering to broaden the event’s appeal when it finally returned in 2023 after a several year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The show had been held every-other year since its inception since 1954.

Starting this autumn, organizers will now hold the mobility show every year, in a two-track approach that alternates annually between a business and consumer focus, said the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, which has hosted the Tokyo show since its beginning.

The event many even change its name, again.

JAMA outlined the changes on Thursday, saying the first year in the two-year series will be a “process” year focusing on business-to-business dealings and bringing together new partners.

“This year, we will host a business-focus event, seeking to increase the number of friends with whom we can create a more prosperous future together. We have decided to organize this event to ensure the continuity of Japan Mobility Show,” said JAMA Chairman Masanori Katayama, who took the helm this year and is also chairman of Japanese truck maker Isuzu.

The alternating second year in the two-year show series will be a “show” year that will be geared more toward consumers and will showcase recent advances in mobility.

This year’s kickoff of the new approach will feature a collaboration with CEATEC, the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies trade show, which is Japan’s version of the Consumer Electronics Show. Both shows will be held concurrently.

“Information technology and electronics companies have many elements and ideas that can help expand the value and experience of mobility. By collaborating with them, we aim to create a more prosperous and promising future,” Katayama said. “As a business event, we will focus more on this pillar of updating this cross-industry collaboration platform.”

JAMA wants to attract 150 startup companies for cross-fertilization with 50 establishment players. The event will feature matchmaking between companies and talk-shop forums.

The Future Mobility Forum will feature CEOs of Japanese automakers, including Honda’s Toshihiro Mibe, Nissan’s Makoto Uchida and Toyota chief Koji Sato.

The 2024 first year “process” event will run from Oct. 15-18, or just four days, compared with the 11 days of last year’s consumer-oriented exposition. It will be held at Makuhari Messe, a large exhibition hall in suburban Tokyo where the Tokyo show was held before moving closer to downtown at a venue called Tokyo Big Sight.

Admission will be free of charge, another change from last year’s show, which charged admissions prices starting at 1,500 yen ($9.58).

The 2023 Japan Mobility Show drew more than 1.1 million visitors its 11 days.

As for the name of this year’s event, that is apparently still a matter of consideration.

“We are still discussing whether we should name it Japan Mobility Show or not,” Katayama said. “We are still planning to work specifics out, including the name of it.”

In 2023, electric vehicle giant BYD became the first Chinese automaker to exhibit models in the history of Japan's premier auto show. But the Tokyo car show still had trouble drawing overseas interest.

Only two other foreign automakers bothered to make it: BMW and Mercedes-Benz.