auto tokyo
Cars on display at the Porsche stand during Tokyo motor show 2017. Image Credit: Supplied

As Japan is witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. has announced that it will cancel the Tokyo Motor Show scheduled for this autumn.

“We thought about doing something online, but we decided that it would be difficult to provide the main program that would let many visitors appreciate the appeal of mobility in a safe and secure environment,” said JAMA chairman and Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda at an online press conference. “The Tokyo Motor show collaborates with a number of industries to envision a new future for mobility,” Toyoda added. "It welcomes 1.3 million people in person. We don't want to hold the event online, we want to hold it in-person. That's why we've chosen to cancel the show this time.”

The last time the biennial show was held was in October 2019, when it drew about 1.3 million visitors.

Although the Tokyo motor show has been cancelled, Japan is set to host the Olympic Games in three months, which have already been postponed by a year.