Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda isn’t offended and believes the Nissan-Honda merger will benefit the industry

Nissan and Honda are reportedly on track for a merger by 2026, pending the smooth execution of their plans. The potential union promises to shake up the auto industry, and according to Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, it was a match that bypassed Toyota entirely.
“Nissan did not approach Toyota about any mergers,” Toyoda told InsideEVs through an interpreter. “But even if they had considered it, it would definitely violate anti-monopoly laws. So maybe they thought about it and decided against it for that reason.”
While it’s unclear why a Nissan-Toyota merger might violate anti-monopoly laws while a Nissan-Honda partnership would not, Toyota’s significant market share could be a factor. A know automotive media outlet has reached out to Nissan for clarification on Toyoda’s remarks and will update the story if a response is received.

Toyota’s Perspective
Despite being left out, Toyota doesn’t seem envious. The company has its own strategic partnerships, albeit on a smaller scale. Toyota collaborates with Subaru on vehicles like the GR86/BRZ and the bZ4X/Solterra EVs, supplies hybrid powertrains to Mazda, and co-develops the Supra with BMW’s Z4.
Rather than seeing the Nissan-Honda merger as a threat, Toyoda views it as an opportunity for healthy competition.
“For me, it’s quite exciting, because I’m looking forward to seeing how they’ll cooperate and develop more competitive products,” he said. “If exciting and competitive vehicles come out of this merger, it’s a positive for competition not just in Japan but globally.”
Industry Implications
If finalized, the Nissan-Honda merger—currently outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MOU)—would create the world’s third-largest automaker, with Toyota maintaining its position as the largest. Still, one can’t help but wonder if Toyota would’ve preferred to be part of the conversation before Nissan made its move toward Honda.
