France Tells Japan It Wants Nissan-Renault Merger

The French government has told Japan it will seek a merger between Renault and Nissan following the shock arrest of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, reports said on Sunday.

Ghosn headed a powerful alliance between Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault before his arrest in November on charges of financial misconduct.

A delegation including Martin Vial – a Renault director designated by the French government – made the merger request at talks with Japanese officials in Tokyo, Kyodo News reported, citing sources close to the matter.

The French government is the biggest shareholder in Renault with a stake of more than 15 percent, while Renault owns 43.4 percent of the Japanese carmaker Nissan with voting rights.

A merger between the two is favoured by French President Emmanuel Macron, Kyodo said.

Japanese business daily Nikkei also reported the merger request by the French delegation, saying Nissan had been opposed to giving Paris greater sway over the Japanese carmaker.

According to Nikkei, the delegation also said Renault wants to name Nissan's next chairman – a post that has remained vacant since ouster of Ghosn on his arrest in November.