The newspaper reported: "The group hopes that Tesla will become a strategic investor, given that it is interested in acquiring Nissan's factories." According to Financial Times, three people familiar with the matter claim that former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga supports the idea of linking up with Tesla.
This proposal emerged after unsuccessful negotiations regarding a merger of Nissan with competitor Honda, which are seen as attempts to catch up to Tesla and Chinese companies in the competitive electric vehicle market. Nissan's shares rose by 11% in the past five days following the news that the Japanese group, which includes the former Prime Minister, plans to solicit investment from American electric vehicle giant Tesla for its automotive company.
