Nissan Motor Co.’s shares climbed after a report said Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. was making another pass at the flailing carmaker as its tie-up with Honda Motor Co. falls apart.

The news that Honda Motor Company, Japan’s second-largest automaker, and Nissan Motor Company, its third-largest, are looking to merge by 2026 is an indication of an industry roiled by government demands for electrification and the ascent of Chinese automakers.

A proposed $58 billion merger to create the world’s fourth-largest carmaker appears on the verge of collapse after Honda made an unexpected proposal to turn Nissan into a fully owned subsidiary, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Renault executives travelled to Japan this week to meet counterparts at Nissan in an effort to maximise the value of the French automaker's stake in the Japanese firm ahead of its merger with Honda, a source close to the matter told Reuters.