Japan in TESLA court by Nissan Investment

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The high-level Japanese group, which includes the former Prime Minister, has made plans for Tesla Elon Musk to invest in the fight against the Nissan production manufacturer after the collapse of the Honda competitor.

A new proposal led by a former Tesla Milast Member of the Tesla Mizuno is supported by ex-Prime Minister-Yujihid Sugha and his former Hirati Assistant Assistant, three people who have a direct knowledge of this step report. Several board members in Nissan They know about the initiative.

The group is hoping Tesla According to people, they will become a strategic investor because they believe that the world’s largest electric car manufacturer seeks to buy Nissan plants in the US. Factories will help him increase domestic production in response to Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

Tesla’s approaching plan coming after Nissan went away From the proposal to merge Honda worth $ 58 billion, causing the fear that the third largest Japanese car can get into potentially hostile foreign hands, and Taiwanese asembler iPhone Foxconn, activists and private circulation groups.

Negotiations with Honda were originally launched after Foxconn came to Nissan Renault partner last year about buying some share of a French company at a Japanese manufacturer. After parsing in the negotiations this month, Foxconn confirmed her interest By acquiring Nissan shares as a means of expanding its production business EV.

Suga, who in 2021 acted as Prime Minister, is still an active figure in Japanese politics, continuing himself to a member of the lower house of Japan. He began his political career in Yokaham, where Nissan is located.

The proposal provides an investor consortium, and Tesla is the largest supporter, but also includes the possibility of investing in the Foxconn minority to prevent full absorption by Apple suppliers.

On Friday, Tokyo Nissan stocks rose 11 percent after Financial Times reported plans.

Nissan and the hosts refused to comment. Mizun, Suga, Tesla and Musk did not immediately respond to the requests for comment.

In recent weeks, Nissan has launched its own strategic partner search, and some council members assume Tesla and Apple as ideal goals, according to other people familiar with this issue. In November he launched A quick turn plan This included 9,000 job losses as it fell to quarterly loss.

With a market cap of 1.1 tn, Tesla is one of the most valuable companies in the world. Historically, it did not invest in automotive companies, and Musk threw the company’s attention and spent its $ 36 billion in cash on autonomous riding and robotics.

But he also wants to increase production in the United States to offset the impact of President Donald Trump’s threatening tariffs. The group collects all its vehicles sold in the US locally, but teach some of its components from Mexico and other parts of the world.

Nissan has two teams in Tennessee and Mississippi with a combination annual capacity of about 1 million vehicles, but in 2024 produced only 525,000 units. Sales. Last week, he said he plans to reduce changes at two US factories.

Nissan may not easily accept the sale of American plants to the enemy, given that the local market is a key sphere of profit growth.

Ever since the last months, Foxconn’s interest has been born, officials of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, trade and industry have been deeply concerned about the political consequences and reliability of the National Security Survey for Foxconn, which is considered too close to China.

According to Japanese government officials, it would be difficult to justify the deal, as Japan welcomed large semiconductor investments from Taiwan and earlier allowed Renault to take a share in Nissan and Foxconn.

After the restructuring of his alliance in 2023, Renault wants to sell a large piece of 36 percent, which he still belongs in a Japanese high prize.

In an interview on Thursday, his executive director Luka de Meo said any proposal required to reflect the cost through a 25-year partnership.

“I just hope the Nissan management team will find a way to do it better than it worked so far,” he said. “I provide them all the support they need.”

Additional Stephen Morris report in San Francisco, Joe Miller in Washington and Jan Johnston in Paris