Ghosn Weighs Stepping Down From Nissan TOKYO - Nissan Motor said Thursday that Carlos Ghosn, its chief executive, is considering stepping down before the company's next midterm business plan begins in about five years. Investor relations executives at the company started telling investors and analysts this year that there was a succession plan in place, a spokesman, Koji Okuda, said. "Ghosn has said this is the last midterm plan he'll commit to, meaning he may not stay here for the next mid-term period," Mr. Okuda said. We need to prepare for his possible departure within a five-year period. Mr. Ghosn, 58, is credited with one of the biggest turnarounds in modern automotive history. He joined Nissan when it was nearing bankruptcy and turned it into a carmaker that led the industry in profitability, with its market value reaching as high as ¥5.73 trillion, or $72 billion at current exchange rates, in 2006. "Top resignations in Japan tend to have less impact than those abroad because Japanese companies are run collegially, but Nissan is clearly different," said Koji Endo, an automotive analyst at Advanced Research Japan. Ghosn's retirement would mean the loss of a strong decision maker for the time being. Asked about Nissan's leadership plans during an earnings conference call with analysts in May, Mr. Ghosn said investors should expect to hear more about the matter in shareholders" meetings. Nissan's next annual general meeting of shareholders is on Tuesday.