News On Japan

Honda CEO Does Not Rule Out Possibility of Merger With Nissan

TOKYO, Dec 18 (News On Japan) - Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe has stated that while "nothing has been decided" regarding a merger with Nissan Motor, he did not rule out the possibility.

"We are discussing all possibilities," Mibe said. When asked specifically if a merger was among those possibilities, he responded, "From top to bottom, I think it is within the range of possibilities," while emphasizing that "nothing has been decided yet."

According to sources, Honda and Nissan are discussing plans to establish a holding company that would bring both companies under its umbrella as part of a move toward a merger.

In the future, Mitsubishi Motors, where Nissan holds the largest share, could also join the integration. If the three companies merge, their combined sales would exceed 8 million units, creating a global top-three automaker group.

In August, Honda and Nissan announced a partnership to collaborate on software development and electric vehicle production.

Source: ANN

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A large and very strong Typhoon No. 13 (Dolphin) was moving west over waters south of Japan as of 3 a.m. on August 5, after passing closest to the Ogasawara Islands the previous afternoon, with forecasters warning that Okinawa could face several days of violent winds and heavy rain as the storm slows near the region.

The death toll from the Kumamoto earthquake has risen to 38, while more than 8,200 people remained in evacuation shelters on August 4, one week after the disaster struck.

Japan's Immigration Services Agency on August 4 released draft guidelines that would tighten the requirements for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency, including new income and pension standards designed to ensure applicants have economic conditions equal to or better than those of Japanese people.

Six airlines, including All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines and Air Do, will move the baggage check-in deadline for domestic flights at Haneda Airport to 30 minutes before departure from September 1.

The conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel may be entering a more dangerous phase, with Tehran appearing increasingly willing to initiate attacks rather than merely respond to US strikes, while disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz threaten oil and liquefied natural gas supplies worldwide.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Business NEWS

Japan's exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food reached a record 897.7 billion yen in the first half of 2026, rising 10.9% from a year earlier as global demand for green tea surged, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on August 4.

Tokyo stocks edged higher on August 4, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 63,957.53, up 202.63 points, or 0.32%, as buybacks in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares helped offset caution over further yen-buying intervention and a weaker tone in some exporters.

Suntory Holdings is turning to a specialized corporate intelligence unit led by a former Mitsubishi Corporation researcher to assess the duration of Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and protect supply chains threatened by soaring energy and raw-material prices.

Nissan Motor returned to profitability in the April-June quarter of 2026, posting net income of 3.761 billion yen as cost-cutting measures and a weaker yen helped the struggling automaker end eight consecutive quarters of losses.

Off-price apparel stores selling new clothing at discounts of up to 90% are attracting growing interest in Japan as prolonged inflation pushes consumers to seek cheaper alternatives, with Geo Holdings planning to increase its Luck Rack chain roughly tenfold to 500 locations by fiscal 2035.

Tokyo stocks fell on August 3, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 63,445.53, down 1.4%, as electronics and auto shares were sold after coordinated U.S.-Japan yen-buying intervention drove the currency sharply higher, cutting into the weak-yen support that had underpinned exporters.

Business sentiment among Japanese companies operating in China deteriorated in the first half of 2026, with 44% reporting that conditions had worsened or somewhat worsened as tensions between Japan and China weighed on corporate confidence.

Tokyo stocks surged on July 31, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 64,362.02, up 2,494.59 points, as a sharp rebound in Asian semiconductor shares and strong U.S. technology earnings outweighed caution over the Bank of Japan’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged while warning that inflation risks remain tilted to the upside.