- Everybody s Car, Everybody s World -

It became a practice that a main theme was put up for every Tokyo motorshow to clarify the standpoint of the automobile in that year. Since "pollution," the main target of anti-automobile criticism, became rarely heard of, "Everybody s Car, Everybody s World" was taken up as that year s main theme.

This was an expression in a familiar language of various situations surrounding the automobile. Particularly, the "world" expressed the concept that the automobile was not for a person alone but rather for the whole society, and that cooperation with the world s people and harmony with international society was a vital.

Specifically, Japan s auto industry had grown to be the world s second in production and first in exports. In inland transport, automobiles came to have the largest share of 88.1%, while rail declined to 3.7% and ships to 8.2%. Thus Japan s auto industry had come to have great significance from the viewpoint of both the world and the Japanese economy.

Japan s 4-wheel vehicle registration exceeded 30 million, of which 70% were for private use. Driver s license holders exceeded 35 million, and 90% ofyoung men between 25 and 30 years old possessed a driver s license. Vehicle ownership was higher in rural areas than in metropolitan areas, which indicatedlife style involving cars was settling in the country, rather than in cities. The "vehicle society" was expanding so much that economic and cultural development for the future was unthinkable without the work of automobiles. Thinking about Japanese life by denying or neglecting the automobile was no longer realistically possible. This "world" with vehicles was the "world" made by the Japanese, by their efforts and decision. Based on this reality, a more enriched society for everybody should be built. That was the idea behind the theme of the motorshow.

The Theme Hall featured the history of the automobile after WW II entitled "The Automobile Talks (Japanese Automobiles during 30 Postwar Years)" That scheme was aimed at reviewing the development of the Japanese auto industry during the postwar period of great changes, now that the industry was at a turning point internally as well as internationally. The displays were simply enjoyable, without any sophisticated description of mechanisms or safety educational flavor. This nostalgic event was popular with the public.

In the hall, 43 three-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles and 34 motorcycles from the 1945-67 period were displayed in chronological order. Visitors could follow the displays of the automobiles which developed from a mere means of transportation at the time of postwar confusion period to a sophisticated product meeting versatile needs for speed and style, as society became affluent and capable of pursuing comfort and gorgeousness. Technological developments and accompanying social changes were shown with photographs and illustrations in addition to actual cars.

Well known cars in retrospect were: the Toyopet Super, a robust taxi cab; the Datsun Open Sports Model, the first car to appear after the end of the war; the Fuji Cabin?, a light 3-wheeled car with FRP body; the Tama, an electric carborn right after the war when gasoline was scarce; and the Honda Cub that became suddenly popular by the name "bata-bata." Many visitors rushed into this Hall with fond memories of those cars and bikes.

One change at the exhibition was that foreign exhibitors were assigned a separate hall. The oil crisis had created a worldwide small car boom, and the Japanese cars had been well received in the world car market, which led to rapid expansion of exports. This situation seemed to cause trade friction between Japan and the U.S.A./Europe. JMIF, taking the initiative on that matter, promoted cooperation by opening the show to foreign participants. As a result, foreign participants were from seven countries. Foreign passenger car exhibits numbered 91, including 35 by the U.S. Big Three. In the parts section, the U.K. and France joined Canada, which had already participated in the past two shows. A much larger space was allocated for the exhibition of foreign parts.

In honor of the participating countries, seven days excluding Sunday and a national holiday were celebrated as national days of those countries. Hoisting their national flags, presenting flowers to their ambassadors in Japanand other events for promoting international cooperation were noticeable. Assembling of foreign cars together in one hall and endeavours to display the newest models attracted many enthusiasts. All in all, an appearance as an international show was assumed.

This type of show, full of international flavour, seemed to symbolize the standpoint of the Japanese auto industries. The emphasis on exhibition of foreign cars made at this motor show was the first experience, and seemed to show growing latitude of the industry.