The declarations of intent have multiplied in France as in Japan, to support the fragile coupling Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, now private pilot, so that, according to the press, the charges against Carlos Ghosn accumulate.
The Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian, still in custody in Japan, was arrested Monday for having concealed his income, the president of the board of directors of Nissan in the amount of 5 billion yen between June 2011 and June 2015.
He is accused of having done the same thing for the three subsequent financial years, reported Friday the daily japanese Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei, a total of 8 billion yen, the equivalent of more than 62 million euros of income hidden from the financial authorities of the japanese. The AFP has not been able to get confirmation in the near future.
the One that is still formally CEO of Renault, but that was landed Thursday, the chairman of the board of directors of Nissan, is also suspected not to have declared a bonus of over € 30 million related to gains generated on the stock, according to Nikkei.
Kyodo news agency, meanwhile, said that Nissan had paid the sister of Carlos Ghosn 100 000 ($87 900 euros) per year since 2002 for a mission board fictional.
In an internal letter, of which AFP has seen a copy, the boss of the japanese group Hiroto Saikawa, who had already harshly criticized the man who was her mentor, during a press conference on Monday, resumed the charge against Carlos Ghosn.
“it has No impact on the Alliance”
Regarding the facts uncovered by an internal investigation conducted by the japanese manufacturer, he assured : “you’d probably be surprised with the discoveries made “.
“We cannot tolerate what has been highlighted,” he continued, without giving specific details.
In the same message, the boss (executive chairman), Nissan promises, however : “as regards the partnership with Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, this event has basically no impact, and we will do our best to stabilize the relationship between the three companies “. The fate of Carlos Ghosn at Mitsubishi should be resolved at a board of directors Monday.
“In these difficult times for us, we need to work more closely, more than ever,” said Hiroto Saikawa, in his message.
Past the shock of the arrest of Carlos Ghosn, some analysts have suspected a “coup” on the part of Nissan, which is seeking to rebalance the marriage, three (Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi) established by the influential captain of industry. Since then, the statements of intent are becoming more common in Tokyo as in Paris for supporting this coupling, and crossed by the ill and the games of power that the fall of Carlos Ghosn has exposed the big day.
The French State too far
Renault owns 43 % of Nissan, which owns 15 % of Renault (but without right to vote), and 34 % of Mitsubishi. The power is in the hands of the French manufacturer since it has saved its japanese rivals of the bankrupt in 1999, while Nissan is now almost two times more in Grant than Renault.
“We are committed to the preservation of the alliance between Renault and Nissan, which is in the interest of the French as in the interest of the Japanese,” repeated Friday, the French minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire.
The French State, which owns 15 % of Renault, is concerned first and foremost with the future of the marriage with Nissan, and holds the field since the beginning of the scandal. The Mayor had, for example, very quickly called for the establishment of an interim ceo at Renault, and had received Thierry Bolloré, which has, de facto, taken over the helm of the French car manufacturer, on Tuesday evening, the next day.
The Elysium is, to him, tried to calm the game by rejecting any idea of “manipulation” on the part of the japanese group. Remains to be seen how this activism of the executive French is perceived in Japan. No one at Nissan has not forgotten the crisis triggered in April 2015 when Emmanuel Macron, minister of the Economy, had increased the weight of the State in the share capital of Renault to obtain voting rights double, a feat which had greatly displeased japanese side.
The State eventually transfer the shares in question in November 2017, to return to 15 % of the capital.
