Feb 21 (Reuters) - A high-level Japanese group that

includes a former prime minister has drawn up plans for Tesla

to invest in Nissan ( NSANF ) after the collapse of its

merger talks with Honda ( HMC ), the Financial Times said on

Friday.

The group hopes Elon Musk's Tesla will become a strategic

investor, believing the company is keen to acquire Nissan's ( NSANF )

plants in the United States, according to the report.

The proposal is being led by former Tesla board member

Hiromichi Mizuno with support from ex-premier Yoshihide Suga and

his former aide Hiroto Izumi, the newspaper said, citing

unidentified sources.

Suga's office said it was not aware of a plan to encourage

Tesla to invest in Nissan ( NSANF ). Suga stood down as prime minister in

2021 but remains a member of Japan's lower house, representing a

constituency in Nissan's ( NSANF ) home prefecture of Kanagawa.

Nissan ( NSANF ) declined to comment on the report, while Tesla did

not respond to requests for comment. Reuters was not immediately

able to contact Izumi and Mizuno.

Nissan ( NSANF ) shares closed up 9.6% after the FT report. The

automaker and Honda ( HMC ) ended talks to forge a $60-billion car

company last week. Nissan ( NSANF ) said it will seek new partnerships.

According to the FT, some Nissan ( NSANF ) board members have

suggested Tesla and Apple ( AAPL ) as ideal strategic investors.

Apple ( AAPL ) did not respond to a request for comment.

Sources have told Reuters that Nissan ( NSANF ) was open to working

with new partners, with Taiwan's Foxconn seen as one

candidate. Nissan ( NSANF ) CEO Makoto Uchida said last week that Nissan ( NSANF )

and Foxconn had not held talks at management level.