The JAMA 2025 Japan Mobility Show at Tokyo Big Sight marks an impressive transformation of the purpose and spirit of automotive exhibitions. The "Japanese team" - Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru — along with selected external participants came not to sell cars, but to "sell dreams", as the organizers described it, according to Automotive News.
Unlike American auto shows, which are currently mostly exhibitions for local dealers, the Japanese event focuses on imagination and the future of mobility. Concept cars dominate the 3.4 million square foot exhibition space: the six-wheeled Lexus LS, the wedge-shaped Honda sedan, the Yamaha-inspired electric motorcycle, and the modular Toyota designed for Africa. Along with them are bizarre innovations in the field of personal mobility, such as stair-climbing chairs and anthropomorphic micro-cars.
The abundance of physical prototypes, which are expensive to develop in the digital age, demonstrates the determination of Japanese automakers to inspire and lead, even at high cost. Their dedication stands in stark contrast to the commercialization of Western exhibitions, which have become nothing more than dealer fairs. Instead, in Japan, the focus is on creativity, national pride, and technological opportunities. The bold presentation of concept and future vehicles at the show highlights a broader ambition: to rekindle the public imagination of mobility and remind the world that Japan is still defining what the future of transportation might be.
