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## The Power We Need in Volatile Times 

Nissan addressed great challenges in the first year of its new mid-term business plan. With a focus on geographic and consumer diversity, as well as environmentally friendly mobility options, it epitomized the Nissan Way: “The power comes from inside.” 

## Strong Performance in a Tough Year 

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The 3/11 earthquake and tsunami inflicted enormous damage, mainly in Japan’s Tohoku region. The catastrophe took numerous lives and deprived people of their normal, everyday life. Nissan runs operations in the affected areas, and the company has been taking various actions to support the disaster-stricken regions while restoring its business. Our support includes implementing humanitarian aid, providing Nissan LEAF electric vehicles (EVs) and 4WD Patrols, and dispatching a mobile library for children in the affected areas. 

The disaster damaged our Tochigi and Iwaki Plants, and we had to suspend some operations for two months because of the disrupted supply chain. Even in this state of emergency, a number of actions helped us resume production and mitigate the effects on our operations outside Japan. This is a fruit of our swift, companywide cross-functional/cross-regional initiatives based on the Nissan Way: “The power comes from inside.” Our guiding principle for all employees, the Nissan Way has been fostered through our business operations. It proved its worth again in addressing such challenges as the strengthening yen and flooding in Thailand and helping to lessen their impacts on us. 

Despite a number of difficulties beyond our control, Nissan’s sales hit an all-time high in fiscal 2011, while profit grew year- on-year. We were put to the test, but we fulfilled our potential and surmounted the challenges. This success has not made us complacent, the business environment remains volatile, and global competition is intensifying every day. We are increasing our competitive edge to adapt to the changes. Let me describe the changes we face and what we are doing to adjust to them. 

## A Focus on Diversity 

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Needless to say, many manufacturers including automakers in Japan are struggling in cutthroat competition in the global market. These companies share a common challenge: the Japanese yen is at a historic high. Against this backdrop, We believe that retaining a certain amount of R&D and manufacturing activities in Japan is critical to continue growing and competing in the global arena. 

