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.