---

Toyota displays one of the biggest at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

---

THE 41st Tokyo Motor Show opened its doors to the world’s media at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, today, serving as a symbol of the Japanese car industry’s determination to rise above the prevailing global economic difficulties as well as serving as a venue to address environmental issues by unveiling environment-friendly vehicles.

The 13-day event, which is sponsored by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (Jama), will be open to the public from October 23 to November 4.  No less than 108 carmakers and auto parts manufacturers are participating in the biennial affair, with a total of 270 vehicles going on display in the 21,259-square-meter exhibition hall.  Thirty-nine world and 21 Japanese premieres were held, 27 of which were passenger cars.

The theme of this year’s show is “Fun Driving for Us, Eco Driving for Earth”—a reflection of the current global direction toward environmental awareness and conservation. The eight Japanese carmakers visibly threw their full support behind the auto show, one of the three biggest shows in the world, after the dreadful financial crash that threw the whole auto industry in disarray.

At a media briefing, Jama Chairman Satoshi Aoki said Japan’s auto market has matured. “Interest in automobiles among the youth is weaker than in past years, but we must make every possible effort to demonstrate the attractiveness of and dreams associated with automobiles to young people, who will become important customers in the future,” said Aoki, who is board chairman of Honda Motor Co.

---

The Honda Clarity, an electric car that is an environment-friendly solution to the growing problem of climate change.

---

Jamaofficials said they now not only have to cope with weak demand for automobiles around the world, but also the increased presence of the Chinese auto market and the automakers’ move to shift their focus of business to China.

This year’s event includes a test-drive program with 29 cars provided. Visitors test and appreciate the cars like first-hand, which includes the next-generation models driving on a three-kilometer stretch of public road around Makuhari Messe. A motorcycle test drive is also included in the program, which will last for 10 days.

Auto consumers are now very conscious of the need to conserve the environment and the Japanese automakers have been keenly aware of this trend. Toyota Prius, which is a hybrid, is still one of the top on the list of best-selling passenger cars, while Honda’s hybrid Insight also fared well. Hybrid cars accounted for 8.9 percent of sales in Japan and are expected to increase variably in the near future. This development tends to strengthen the belief that the movement away from fossil fuel-powered automobiles is beginning to gain headway and may arrive sooner than expected.

DURING the briefing/send-off party for the journalists invited by Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) to the Tokyo Motor Show now ongoing at the Makuhari Messe in the suburban Japanese capital, Sonny Guerrero was asked: “Why aren’t you joining this most important motoring event in Asia?”

Sonny’s answer was, “Taong bahay kami.”

Typically Filipino, this thing called “Taong bahay.” (Tending the fort while everybody’s away.)

At the occasion highlighted by a sumptuous lunch at The Bonifacio High Street’s Stock Market, Sonny, the diminutive, strong-willed senior vice president for TMP marketing, was with Raymond Rodriguez (first VP for vehicle sales and operations), Jing Atienza (VP for vehicle sales and operations), Dax Avenido (advertising head) and Yuji Goto (executive VP).  Also in attendance were Danny “Sir John” Isla (Lexus Manila president) and Elijah-won Sue Marcial (public relations head).  Sir John, the delegation head, and Elijah-won, the undisputed mother hen, will shepherd the Tokyo-bound media team—a job they had superbly done in the last Tokyo Motor Show in 2007.

Sonny G, he with the inquisitive mind, asked one delegate, “On the side, what do you do after each function is completed at the Tokyo Motor Show?”

The delegate’s reply was quick: “I join Beatlemaniacs in going almost nightly to The Cavern at Roppongi, a bar where nothing but Beatles music is played live by Japanese bands.”

Hearing that, Yugi-san said, “Really? You do that nightly?”

IN the wake of Typhoon Ondoy, many a house and automobile were left wrecked and unserviceable. The floods caused by the natural calamity produced an innately high number of property damage running in the billions of pesos, and the sad part about it is that many auto owners had no insurance, or at least had comprehensive insurance—but without Acts of God (AOG) coverage that they could lean on in case a freak incident occurs.