2009 Tokyo Motor Show In DoubtMotoring Channel Staff - 16/January/2009  2009 Tokyo Motor Show In Doubt
 Nissan is registered for the Tokyo Motor Show, but industry insiders say that it could still pull out
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Tokyo, Japan
— As
the global financial crisis continues to adversely affect the revenue
of automotive companies and car makers, news is emerging that the
biennial
Tokyo Motor Show could be cancelled. A handful of motor shows
in Australia have been cancelled due to manufacturers tightening their
belts and pulling out of events, and with news that Chrysler, GM and
possibly even Ford will not attend the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, there is now an increased chance that it could be cancelled. Speaking to Automotive News, the president of GM Asia Pacific, Rick Brown, said it wasn't financially able to attend the show. "If you really look at the business conditions that we are in right
now, where we really have to make a bang out of every buck we spend,
it’s simply a business decision," stated Mr Brown. Chrysler
made a statement similar to GM's, citing the recent US bailout and the
need to save cash and work on creating a new generation of car. At the time of publication, Ford had made no such statement but is believed to have missed the registration
deadline for the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, which is scheduled for October 23rd. It is Asia's
biggest and most prestigious motor show, but even the Japanese
Automobile Manufacturers' Association (JAMA) is believed to have considered cancelling the event. It's possible that some Japanese
car makers could pull out of the show as well. Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Nissan
were absent at the recent Detroit Auto Show and after the withdrawals
of the American big three from the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, other companies could be
inclined to pull out. Toshihiro
Iwatake, the executive director and secretary general of JAMA told the
Automotive News: "A couple companies are not in favor of organising the
show under these conditions, but that is not JAMA’s opinion." Toyota,
Nissan, and Honda have all registered for the show but some industry
insiders are questioning their commitment, pointing out the dire
situation of the Japanese economy. Iwatake
added that if the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show is cancelled, "the Americans
and Europeans will say, ‘Oh, Japan is sinking and the Chinese are up.’" The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show is expected to showcase a range of new technologies, including hybrid and electric cars. It's theme is "Fun driving for us, eco driving for Earth". |