12月23日、ホンダと日産自動車は経営統合に向けた本格的な協議に入ることを発表しました。
Honda Motor and Nissan Motor have agreed to start full-scale talks on management integration.
※full-scale 全面的な、本格規模の
※management integration 経営統合
➾business merger ※merger 合併
➾consolidation 強化すること、整理、統合
➾tie-up 提携、協力
話し合い後、両社を上場廃止にして、持ち株会社を設立後上場の計画です。販売台数で世界3位になることになります。
They aimed to wrap up talks around June 2025 and then set up a holding company by August 2026, at which time both companies' shares would be delisted.
※holding company持株会社
※delist上場廃止にする
The tie-up would create the world's third-largest auto group in terms of vehicle units sold after Toyota and Volkswagen.
➾by sales
BBCの見出し： Honda and Nissan join forces to take on China in cars
※take on～と対戦、対決する
Honda and Nissan plan to merge as the two Japanese firms seek to fight back against competition from the Chinese car industry.
両社のブランドは残しつつ、プラットフォーム（車台）やソフトウエア開発の共通化等など開発費や製造費を抑えます。
While maintaining both brands, Honda and Nissan aim to share hefty development costs and reduce production expenses by sharing vehicle platforms and using common components.
※hefty 重い➾高額の
※common component 共通の部品
本田側：Honda CEO Mibe Toshihiro said, "As the environment surrounding the automobile industry continues to undergo dramatic global change, the company has been launching discussions with an eye on possibilities other than collaboration. The impact of synergies from the business integration will be greater than we expect."
※synergy=シナジー、相乗効果［作用］
日産側：Nissan CEO Uchida Makoto said, "We hope to grow together rather than one leaning against another.“
※lean against ～に寄り掛かる、もたれる ➾補完する complement
経営悪化の日産をホンダが救済するという見方については否定をしました。
Honda‘ s rescue would avert total disaster for Nissan whose standings have deteriorated since 2018.
※standings 順位
※deteriorate 悪化する
Mibe dismissed the notion that the alliance is intended to bail out Nissan.
※bail out（経済的苦境から）救い出す
特別背任罪などで逮捕・起訴されたゴーン被告は逃亡先のレバノンから、この統合はうまくいかないと発言。
“They are strong in the same fields. They are weak in the same fields. There is duplication everywhere. So industrially, for me, it doesn't make sense.”（両社の強みと弱みは重複してばかりで、意味がない）
Nissan, once a symbol of Japan's car making strength, has spent the past few years trying to regain its footing after the arrest of longtime chief executive Carlos Ghosn. Mr Ghosn faced charges of financial misconduct when he jumped bail and escaped to Lebanon in December 2019.
※misconduct不正
※jump bail/skip bail=〈話〉保釈中に行方をくらます
