TOKYO MOTOR SHOW

The 3rd Tokyo Motor Show 1956

1956.4.20-4.29 (at Hibiya Park)

The Third All-Japan Motor Show was held in 1956 at Hibiya Park during a 10-day period. From this year, exhibited products have been grouped by vehicle type - truck, pickup truck, passenger car, 2-wheeler, and motorcycle. This measure was taken to provide more merits for visitors because the majority of them were particularly interested in passenger cars. A poster of the motor show carried the slogan "Japanese Automobiles at a Glance!"

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (former Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) fueled the growing attention to passenger cars among consumers by announcing the "National Car Project" in May of the previous year. The national project included the development of a new 4-seater car that is capable of driving at 100km per hour. The Japanese government also had planned to release the national car at an affordable price range of around 250,000 yen. At that time, passenger cars were still very expensive for the general public in reality. At the same time, they had a premonition that the "passenger cars" they dreamt of would gradually be getting closer to their lives. Passenger cars became the boom of the motor show, accordingly.