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Japan tries to solve the mystery of Carlos Ghosn's audacious escape source: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/02/business/ghosn-escape-japan-lebanon-raid/ Tokyo / Hong Kong (CNN Business)Japanese authorities have raided the house where fugitive auto executive Carlos Ghosn was staying before he arranged his escape to Lebanon earlier this week, possibly via Turkey. Japanese media reported that Tokyo district prosecutors entered the property on Thursday. CNN affiliate TV Asahi also reported that prosecutors were working with police to access CCTV video around his home as part of their investigation. Ghosn — the former chairman of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and former chairman and CEO of their alliance partner, Renault — had been awaiting trial in Japan on charges of financial wrongdoing, including allegations that he understated his income for years and funneled $5 million of Nissan's money to a car dealership he controlled. He was ousted from his posts at Nissan (NSANF) and Mitsubishi Motors following his arrest in November 2018, and later resigned from Renault (RNLSY). As a condition of being released on bail, Ghosn was required to stay in Japan. But his case was completely upended earlier this week after Ghosn revealed that he had fled Japan for Lebanon to escape what he called a "rigged" justice system. Lebanon said Thursday that it had received a "red notice" from Interpol confirming that the former auto titan is wanted by police. It is still not clear how Ghosn, who is a citizen of France, Brazil and Lebanon, was able to slip out of Japan. Reuters and the Financial Times have reported that he was smuggled out of Tokyo by a private security company -— a plot that the media organizations say took months to concoct. The governor of Istanbul said in a statement Thursday that Turkish police have detained seven people in connection with an investigation into Ghosn's "illegal escape" from Japan. Anadolu news agency said that Ghosn traveled via the city's Ataturk airport. Police detained four pilots of a private airline, a company manager and two ground staff at the request of the Istanbul prosecutor, according to the statement from the governor's office. Flight tracker Flightradar24 showed a private jet flying from Osaka, Japan, to Istanbul and then another continuing to Lebanon at the time Ghosn is said to have arrived in the country. CNN Business has been unable to verify the circumstances behind his departure, and Ghosn did not elaborate on his escape in his public statement earlier this week. In a brief statement on Thursday, Ghosn denied reports that his family were involved in helping him flee. "All such speculation is inaccurate and false. I alone arranged for my departure. My family had no role whatsoever," he said. Japan's justice ministry, the Tokyo prosecutor's office and the city's district court have not responded to requests from CNN Business this week for comment about Ghosn's escape. Government offices are closed this week for the New Year holiday. Legal experts and political analysts say that Japan is probably trying to figure out whether Ghosn violated immigration law when he left the country — not that there's much of a chance of forcing him to return. Prosecutors in Tokyo are now likely retracing Ghosn's moves through Japan, collecting surveillance footage and searching for potential collaborators said Nobuo Gohara, a former prosecutor who now runs a compliance and law office in Japan. Gohara added that Ghosn's trial is almost certainly now canceled. The bigger question, he said, is how Japanese authorities will respond to Ghosn's attacks on them, now that he is able to speak freely about his detention. Ghosn has repeatedly denied the charges against him, and claimed that his arrest was part of a plot to remove him from the automotive empire he built. In his statement this week, he said he would "no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant, and basic human rights are denied." Japan can't force Lebanon to send Ghosn back, said Keith Henry, the founder and representative director of Asia Strategy, a research and policy firm based in Tokyo. The two countries have no extradition agreement. "It is a bigger deal for [Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo] Abe and Japan than for Ghosn," Henry said. "No matter what they do now, it is very difficult to overcome the embarrassment of letting go one of the most high-profile suspects" of corporate scandal since Japan's economic boom that followed World War II.

Renault plans to cut 7,500 jobs in France by 2016 as a result of declining sales in Europe. This represents 17 percent of its current workforce in the country. The company would achieve its target mainly by not replacing retiring workers and by offering early retirement. The French carmaker's sales in Europe sank 19% between January to November 2012, which is the steepest among major car manufacturers in the region. The plan would save Renault 400 million euros a year in annual fixed cost, which is required to lower its break-even point. Despite the reduction in workforce, CEO Carlos Ghosn announced that no plants in France will be closed. Year 2012 is tough but 2013 is not expected to be smooth riding either. Carlos said at the Detroit Motor Show that he expects the European market to be "difficult" in 2013, predicting that car sales would fall about 3%, after contracting 8 % in 2012. Renault's action adds further woes to France's ailing industrial sector.

When Nissan launched the R35 GT-R around five years ago, it was a big achievement for the Japanese firm and also for the people who was involved in its development. This is a car that is able to outperform many other exotic supercars that costs much more. The R35 GT-R could sit four adults (although the rear seats are a little cramp), drives and looks great. Generally, the car has what many are looking for; performance and practicality. And ever since its release, Nissan has given the R35 GT-R several updates to make it relevant with its rivals. But, what about a new model? There have been some plans stating that the company wishes to release a successor for the R35 GT-R in the near future. But latest rumours suggest that those plans might have to wait as Nissan CEO, Carlos Ghosn, has yet to approve the next GT-R. Although Ghosn was one of the key supporters of the current R35 GT-R, there might be a possibility that the next GT-R may never be approved. Some of the reasons given were Nissan

[extract] The Datsun moniker was first used in Japan in 1931 and the decision to change the name Datsun to Nissan was announced in 1981. The rationale was that the name change would help the pursuit of a global strategy that would simplify product design, manufacturing and publicity material. No decision last forever and Renault-Nissan Alliance CEO, Carlos Ghosn, has announced the revival of the Datsun brand for emerging markets during his recent visit to Indonesia. At the same time, Ghosn also revealed Datsun

[extract] Parts sharing; in the automotive industry, if you look at these two words, they will remind you of Volkswagen. The German automaker is known for sharing parts among car models and also among cars under the Volkswagen Group. And by producing models with common architecture or platform, it has brought success for the company in terms of profitability. Nissan is the latest to jump on the parts sharing bandwagon by announcing a new Common Module Family (CMF) platform that will underpin a range of new cars which will come into the market by the start of 2013. This announcement was made by the company

[extract] It has been a long time since I saw a Datsun vehicle driven on the road. It was a Datsun 120Y, also known as the Sunny (if I