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| - Japanese carmaker Nissan was rescued from bankruptcy two decades ago by France's Renault but the union has been strained since the arrest in 2018 of its architect, Carlos Ghosn. With both sides unveiling a plan to deepen their cooperation, here is a recap of key dates in the sometimes rocky alliance: In March 1999 France's Renault comes to the rescue of heavily indebted Nissan Motor Company, which needs a partner in order to survive. Under an accord signed in Tokyo, the French firm takes 36.8 percent of Nissan. In June 1999 Ghosn, the Renault number two, unveils a recovery plan for Nissan that includes the closure of five plants and the loss of 21,000 jobs. Cooperation between the two groups on distribution, purchasing and manufacturing gets off the ground, and their alliance starts to bear fruit from 2001. A recovering Nissan in 2002 takes a 15 percent share in Renault. They firm up plans for a binational group and set up a joint management structure based in The Netherlands. By 2003 Nissan has become the second biggest carmaker in the world by market capitalisation. Ghosn becomes Renault chief in 2005 and takes over the reins of the two groups. In 2015 tensions erupt, with Nissan angry when the French state's stake in Renault's capital is increased to 19.7 percent, since dropping back to 15 percent. They reach an accord that caps the government's ability to interfere in the affairs of the alliance. In 2016 the alliance expands to struggling Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi Motors, in which Nissan takes a 34 percent stake. In April 2017 Ghosn cedes the post of Nissan CEO to Hiroto Saikawa while remaining chief of Renault and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. That year the grouping claims the spot of the world's top-selling auto company, producing 10.6 million cars, bringing it neck and neck with Volkswagen and ahead of Toyota. In November 2018 Ghosn is arrested on multiple financial misconduct charges. Held in custody, he is quickly replaced at Nissan and Mitsubishi. At Renault Thierry Bollore takes over Ghosn's role and is named chief executive in January 2019 with Jean-Dominique Senard becoming chairman. The alliance reels. In July Nissan announces that net profit slumped nearly 95 percent in the previous quarter and says it will cut 12,500 jobs. In September 2019 Nissan announces the departure of Saikawa after he admitted receiving excess pay by altering the terms of a bonus. The following month it names a new chief executive, Makoto Uchida, and a leadership overhaul to avoid any consolidation of power. Days later Renault announces that it has sacked Bollore. Just before New Year's Eve, Ghosn dramatically escapes from bail in Japan, landing in Beirut. In January 2020 Ghosn accuses Nissan and Japanese prosecutors of plotting against him. The following month Nissan files a 10 billion yen ($90 million) civil lawsuit against Ghosn. The coronavirus pandemic pushes the Ghosn controversy off centre stage and brings a new order of economic mayhem to the alliance, paralysing production lines and sale points. The alliance looks to cut back production capacity and realign with the new reality. On May 27 Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi unveil their cooperation plan, which would see them develop nearly half of cars jointly by 2025 to cut costs and boost profitability. doc-eab/rl
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