This is reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Automotive News. According to Kontrakty.UA, the news has been confirmed.
Mitsubishi, Honda, and Nissan previously signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a holding company, so initially, the parties were open to forming an alliance. However, Mitsubishi now intends to maintain its independence, although a buyback of shares will be necessary for complete autonomy.
Currently, Nissan owns 34% of Mitsubishi's shares, but the sale of this asset is not ruled out. The issue is that Mitsubishi lacks the funds to buy back such a large number of shares, and a deal is unlikely without Renault's consent. The French automaker holds 35.7% of Nissan's shares, which is not well-received by Honda.
Thus, the independence of Mitsubishi remains in question, prompting officials to refrain from comments: the company has issued a statement indicating that a final decision has yet to be made. According to Japanese journalists, Honda is beginning to lose patience and feels that events are progressing too slowly.
New details regarding the alliance may emerge on February 3. This is the date when the month-long period ends during which Nissan must provide Honda with assurances of financial stability. If the conditions are not met, the massive alliance of Japanese brands will not materialize.