Great Day for Opening Tokyo Motor Show Opens to the General Public

    TOKYO--Oct. 28, 2001--The weather was superb on Saturday, October 27 as the 35th Tokyo Motor Show, the first of the new century, opened to the general public.
    The Show drew large crowd despite delays with the JR train line serving Makuhari Messe when the gates opened at 9:30. Visitors continued to push towards the Exhibition all afternoon as enthusiasm and excitement mounted.
    By 9:00 in the morning, the parking lot in front of the West Gate was virtually full to its 6,000 vehicle capacity. One man in his twenties who left his home in Utsunomiya at 4:00 in the morning in order to avoid traffic jams said, "I'm thrilled to be here. I hear there are lots of exciting new sports cars on display." Indeed, young people thronged to the sports car corners of the exhibition booths, where domestic and foreign automakers had their latest models on display.
    Security is tighter than usual at this year's Show due to the terrorist attacks on the United States and the recent anthrax scare. Staff members at the entrance searched all baggage brought in, but visitors were generally understanding and sympathetic toward the security concerns and have been very cooperative with procedures. The process moved forward smoothly and without incident.
    This is the first time an electronic ticket system has been used by the show. The Japan Motor Industrial Federation accepts applications from its web site, so visitors can purchase tickets directly from their personal computers. At North Gate 1 and West Gate 1, there are one all-electronic entrances for each. Visitors need only show a bar code on the screen of their "i-mode" portable phone to be admitted quickly and easily, without having to stand in line at the ticket window.

Classic Car Exhibit Attracts Families Theme Hall Traces the History of
    Japanese Automotive Technology

    One of the best parts of any motor show is the chance to see the concept cars that show what the near future will bring, but this motor show also takes a look at the history of the automobile with an exhibit that motor fans will not want to miss. The organizer of the show, the Japan Motor Industrial Federation, has set up a special exhibit in the Theme Hall titled "Breakthroughs in Automotive Technology -- History-making Cars from Japan." Display panels and computer quiz corners follow the innovations that came out of Japan, the efforts of the first Japanese pioneers in this new industry, and the rise of the automobile revolution of the twenty-first century.