Carlos Ghosn, CEO and chairman of Nissan Motor Co., recently visited the Tokyo bureau of The Wall Street Journal to discuss, among other topics, his plans to revive the automaker’s Datsun brand after a 30-year hiatus. Asked about why Japan’s No. 2 carmaker needs a third brand after Nissan and Infiniti—and whether Nissan can even make a profit on a $3,000 vehicle—Mr. Ghosn described his vision for Datsun, and gave a hint about what’s to come from the nameplate’s new lease on life. Excerpts follow:

WSJ: Why Datsun, and why now?

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