On September 21, 2023, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) held an online press conference.

Full Archive of Press Conference

TOYODA Akio, Chairman

(Chairman, Toyota Motor Corporation)

Today, I would like to talk about the Japan Mobility Show, now only a month away.

Let me wind the clock back a little and start with the situation in May 2018, when I was appointed JAMA Chairman for the second time. The auto industry had just entered a once-in-a-century period of profound transformation sparked by the CASE revolution. Could cars continue to play a leading role in our mobility society over the next 100 years?
This was the challenge that confronted us, symbolized by the steady decline in attendance at the Tokyo Motor Show.

As JAMA Chairman, I first tackled revamping the Tokyo Motor Show for the 2019 event.
I had just one message for the team involved:
“Let’s put on a motor show that will attract visitors.”
We teamed up with the Economic Council to organize FUTURE EXPO, where visitors could experience the future through cutting-edge Japanese technology.
From drone shows to e-motorsports competitions, we gave the green light to every exciting idea that the team wanted to try.
As a result, we received 1.3 million visitors and brought smiles to many faces.

Just two months later, however, we were faced with an unprecedented crisis: COVID-19. Our daily lives were upturned as travel and gatherings were shunned. But it was not all negative.

For us in the auto industry, we came to appreciate that the mobility everyone took for granted was, in fact, sustained by the work of many people. This brought the 5.5. million people in Japan’s automotive industry closer together. We began to connect and act as one. In everyday life, our need for alternative communication methods led to dramatic advances in new technologies and services that allow us to connect, such as virtual meetings and food delivery.

Now, on the other side of the pandemic, we are committed to taking the Tokyo Motor Show to new heights. This year, we are transforming the event into the Japan Mobility Show.

• From cars to mobility
• From Tokyo to Japan

The emphasis is on “Japan.” This country possesses many incredible technologies and many business leaders who continue to take on the challenge of creating the future. We want to provide a platform where such people and technologies come together and connect. We want to share Japan’s vision for the future with the world. That was the idea behind the new name.

This year’s show will feature more than 400 participating companies, the most ever.

By matching startups with established companies, we also hope to provide opportunities for new business ventures.
At the same time, we have planned many exciting sessions, including the Tokyo Future Tour, where visitors can experience how mobility will shape our future cities, and entertainment powered by hydrogen energy.

The theme for this year is: “Discover a future you can’t wait to navigate!”

In the coming days, we will share more information on those appearing at the show, including future mobility exhibitors, participating artists, and discussion panel guests. We hope you will join us at the venue to discover a future that you can’t wait to navigate.

Similarly, the JAMA, led by the people here today, will do its utmost to ensure the show’s success, as we look to exceed one million visitors once again. I myself want to spend as much time as possible at the venue, helping to create the cycle of smiles and gratitude.

I believe that the auto industry stands united as one,
and the future is something we create together.

We hope the media will support us in our efforts to make a brighter future for Japan.