Innovation & Power of brand Year 2 Power 88 Performance Corporate Data Corporate Governance 05 NISSAN Annual Report 2012 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.”  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. 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.  A Focus on Diversity Toshiyuki Shiga Chief Operating Officer Strong Performance in a Tough Year