The biennial Tokyo Motor Show was nearly canceled last year and organisers have taken heed of the show's waning influence. The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show featured 11 automakers, compared with 35 at the 2007 show. The only foreign manufacturers in attendance last year were Alpina and Lotus.

The venue has been shortened and moved to a smaller location for year 2011. The Tokyo show next year will be housed at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center in the waterfront district. Prior to the move, the larger Makuhari Messe center in Chiba had hosted Japan's prominent auto exhibition for 20 years. The Makuhari facility is nearly three times larger than the new location. That takes the Japanese showcase away from the Frankfurt Motor Show, and nestles it in between the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show and the North American International Auto Show.

On top of the location move, the show dates have been reduced and shuffled. The 2011 show will be held December 2-11, three days shorter than 2009. Aside from the typical showcase and demonstration of the latest vehicles, the show may put increased emphasis on transportation in future societies. Other exhibitions could include talks and demos from coachbuilders, energy researchers, information and communication technology professionals and urban planners.