The 12th Motor Show was held immediately after imports of passenger cars were liberalized on October 1. Showy competition relaxed, and efforts to make the show a foothold for sales expansion dominated.

Many new models were designed to respond to liberalization: large luxurious models, the President and the new Cedric, equipped with Japan s firstV6, 3.0-liter and V8, 4.0-liter engines, and the Crown equipped with a 6-cylinder engine.

Small cars concentrated on the 800-1000cc class: the fastback Colt 800, the Honda S800 and N800, the Subaru 1000 equipped with new features, and the Familia Coupe (1000). These models attracted attention as family cars geared to the "my car days," and not to be used as taxies.

Sports cars such as Prince R380, Hino GT Prototype, Toyota 2000GT and Honda F-1 Racer challenged speed records and attracted the attention of young enthusiasts.

New technologies were seen in many models, reflecting the consciousness of liberalization: smaller engines with high revolution/output as seen in the Familia Coupe with an overhead cam; increased use of front disc brakes on ordinary sedans; Japan s first power steering in the President; and a new cooling system in the Subaru 1000 whose main radiator had no fan, while a sub-radiator had an electric fan.

Overseas participants in the show were the Soviet Union and U.K. firms, with twelve exhibits: the Moskvitch 400, the Austin Healey 3000 Mark III, the Austin 1800, and the Morris Mini Cooper.

JMIF invited many foreign visitors to promote overseas recognition of the Tokyo Motor Show. Since this was the first show after import liberalization, overseas visitors totaled 20,000 from 60 countries, an all-time record. The unexpectedly strong interest among non-Japanese in the Tokyo Motor Show was surprising. For visitors with children, 100 baby buggies were provided for the first time. They were donated to the Traffic Museum and social welfare facilities after the show.

There was a record 642 exhibits and 1,464,000 visitors.