Why This Topic Landed in Japan

Ghosn's dramatic flight from Japan remains vivid in public memory, so the same man signaling a desire to return to management spread as material for the absurdity of it — "he can't possibly come back when he'd be arrested." At the same time, Nissan's serious current slump is the backdrop, reviving both the assessment that "things were better when Ghosn was here" and the criticism that "today's decline is the bill for Ghosn-style cost-cutting."

Key Reaction Themes

  • Mockery of a fugitive's remarks — Sarcasm about a "fully remote CEO" and the unreality of a return given he'd be arrested on entry.
  • Debate over Ghosn's legacy — Criticism that he was "the very cause of the decline by neglecting tech investment" sat roughly even with the view that "Nissan was better off with Ghosn."

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

A fugitive signals a comeback

Mockery and ripostes at a "comeback" pitch from someone under an international warrant.

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "Huh?"
  • "Won't he be arrested the moment he enters Japan?"
  • "So you were alive, you."
  • "He's wanted internationally by both Japan and France, so he can't even leave Lebanon though, lol."
  • "Isn't he a criminal?"
  • "The police are waiting, rubbing their hands."
  • "Someone who hasn't even sorted out his troubles with Renault — talk in your sleep."
  • "You know what remote work is?"
  • "A fully remote CEO (defendant) — quite the novelty."
  • "Is the internet even usable in Lebanon? An air raid during a remote meeting wouldn't be a laughing matter."

Debate over Ghosn's record

Is Ghosn to blame for Nissan's decline, or is his absence the cause?

Sources: JIJI.COM

Comments:

  • "What is this guy saying? He's the very one who ruined Nissan."
  • "He's the one who laid the groundwork for it turning out this way (dumping inventory cars for resale made the headline profits look good)."
  • "Then again, it got even worse once he was gone, so maybe it'd be better than now."
  • "What's a manager whose only skill is layoffs going to do?"
  • "He's the very guy who built a Nissan with nothing to sell."
  • "Making them stop hybrid research is the cause of Nissan's current decline."
  • "But honestly, it was Ghosn who rebuilt Nissan, and it fell apart after Ghosn left, didn't it?"
  • "Why didn't Nissan do things properly after cutting Ghosn loose?"
  • "Frankly, wouldn't it be better with Carlos Ghosn around?"