Theme and Exhibition Outline Announced for Upcoming 34th Tokyo Motor Show for Commercial Vehicles

Tokyo---Japan Motor Industrial Federation, Inc. (JMIF; Chairman Hiroshi Okuda), the organizer of the Tokyo Motor Show, announced the theme and exhibition outline for the 34th Tokyo Motor Show - Commercial Vehicles - (2000), which is scheduled to run from October 31 through November 4 at Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Center) in Chiba City.

The 33rd Tokyo Motor Show (1999) was converted into a show exclusively for passenger cars and motorcycles, and in the same manner, this year*s show was converted into one exclusively for commercial vehicles and related products, the first of its kind in the history of the Tokyo Motor Show. In overseas markets, particularly those in Europe and North America, commercial vehicle shows have been common, but the 34th Tokyo Motor Show will be the first international commercial vehicle show in Asia.

The theme of the 34th Tokyo Motor Show is "Vehicles of Character Across the World, Building Our Future." This theme reflects the hopes of the JMIF that this year*s show leading into the 21st century will provide a look at the future of commercial vehicles, while illustrating how commercial vehicles support economic activities around the world, and emphasizing the leading role of the Tokyo Motor Show in the international automotive arena.

The exhibitors from five foreign countries and Japan include 128 companies, two governments, and one organization. Among them are 13 commercial vehicle manufacturers, 27 commercial vehicle body manufacturers, and 88 components and parts manufacturers, two foreign governments, and one electric vehicle organization. The JMIF will use the halls No. 1 to No. 8 (East, Center, and West) at Makuhari Messe for exhibition space, totaling about 25,000 square meters. While this is only about 60% of the space used at the 33rd Tokyo Motor Show for passenger cars and motorcycles, the display space for commercial vehicles will actually be larger than at the earlier all-inclusive Tokyo Motor Shows. This year*s show will be made more attractive and informative by exhibitors installing business customer corners and displaying state-of-the-art technologies, reflecting the latest advancements in information technology, for commercial vehicles, commercial vehicle bodies, and related components.

In addition to a variety of commercial vehicles, visitors will be able to get a close-up look at the latest sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, which combine the functions of a passenger car with the strength of commercial vehicles. This is because in response to an ever-increasing demand for SUVs, exhibitors will be allowed to have such vehicles account for up to 20% of their exhibits, on the condition that the vehicles can also be used for commercial purposes.

What's more, the JMIF will organize a test-ride program so that visitors can get a "hands-on" feel for how commercial vehicles ride and handle. It will also conduct two symposiums during the show on the theme of "delivery", one of which is named "Talk-in" and has been conducted by the JMIF at every show since 1975.