Major non-Japanese automakers to skip Tokyo Motor Show

October 6, 11:09 AMLA Auto ExaminerMichael Anson

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Payback can be a bitch. Japan and the Tokyo Motor Show this year are paying the price for their success in other countries – not one major non-Japanese auto manufacturer is participating in the bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show this year.

With Hyundai’s announcement recently, the vote among the major non-Japanese auto makers became unanimous. Not one major non-Japanese auto manufacturer is scheduled to display vehicles at the once prestigious Tokyo Motor Show this year. Companies that have said they will not, repeat not, display at the Tokyo Show this year include General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Kia and Hyundai.

Here in the U.S. more than 55 percent of all new light vehicles sold carry an import nameplate. In Western Europe that number is only 20 percent. But in Japan, import brands have only a tiny five percent share of market.

Why is this? Government officials and auto industry executives in Japan (trying to deflect charges of rampant Nationalism) claim the low number is due to the inferior quality of the import brands. They claim that the quality of other brands from around the world is not up to the quality standards of picky Japanese auto buyers.

Luxury vehicles from Germany (Mercedes-Benz and BMW in particular) used to sell quite well in Japan, but once Toyota, Nissan and Honda launched luxury brands in Japan, sales of the import brands started to fall. Hmmmm.

Many auto journalists who used to make the bi-annual pilgrimage to the Tokyo Motor Show have said they are not planning to attend either. I wonder – is it the economy or is this payback? Or is it both?