2003 Mazda 6/Atenza

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Welcome to Japan, where politesse dictates that you cover your mouth when you laugh and you apologize when you brush up against a fellow passenger on a jam-packed subway train during rush hour, which, in Tokyo, pretty much never ends.

But hey, we're Americans, bold, brash and proud. Nothing holds us back from reaching our goal. We'll exercise our prerogative to speak loudly, push and shove our way through the crowds at the 35th Tokyo Motor Show to bring you top-notch coverage (in between slurping bowls of udon, that is) of fascinating new technology and the debut of concept and production cars that the automotive world has to offer.

This year's theme is "Open the Door! The Automobile's Bright Future," referring to the "revolution in the field of environmental protection." Japanese automakers have been heeding the call to design cleaner-burning cars, and the Tokyo Motor Show will demonstrate the latest in hydrogen fuel cells, hybrid powerplants and advanced technology. Oh, there's also the usual collection of small, strange people-pod vehicles that only Japan can come up with.

Neither fear of terrorism nor war nor the threat of biological weaponry stays these journalists from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto. — Liz Kim