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Initially, hopes were high. Nissan, teetering on the brink of collapse with massive debt and declining market share, appeared to be salvageable through this alliance. Yet, in a surprising turn, Uchida informs Mibe that Nissan is withdrawing from the deal — killing the merger plans on the spot. Just a month later, Uchida steps down as CEO, a decision that many believe accelerated Nissan’s slide toward potential bankruptcy.
How did Nissan, once Japan’s second-largest automaker, end up here? The answer spans decades of strategic missteps, scandals, and market shifts.