Looking back on a year in which Nissan Motor Co. appears to have finally stemmed its downward slide, President Carlos Ghosn said that regaining competitiveness in the domestic market will be the automaker's priority for the coming year.
To achieve this goal, which effectively means regaining a market share that has steadily ebbed since its peak of 34 percent in 1974, Ghosn said Nissan will introduce new products with a leaner cost structure and clearer brand image as well as boost the efficiency of its marketing and distribution system.
A total of 22 new models are scheduled to be launched worldwide during the drastic three-year restructuring plan Ghosn unveiled in October 1999, but only two so far have been released, both in Japan.