Honda is reportedly still open-minded about merging with Nissan, but only if Nissan CEO, Makota Uchida, steps down. According to FinancialTimes, Honda's CEO, Toshihiro Mibe is willing to restart talks with Nissan about becoming the fourth-largest automaker in the world,

Japanese auto giants Honda and Nissan confirmed they've scrapped merger talks announced in December​, ending a potential combination that would have created the world's third-largest automaker.

In a joint statement released the same day, Honda acknowledged that it proposed to divert from its original intention of forming a joint holding company to one where "Honda would

The Japanese companies’ decision to call off negotiations highlights the challenges legacy automakers face in partnering to tackle new technologies.

Less than two months after a potential merger was floated, Honda and Nissan have called the potential partnership off, forcing Nissan, which has been experiencing difficulties, to explore alternate collaborations.

Honda may be willing to restart negotiations that fell apart earlier this month, on the condition that Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida leaves the automaker, according to a Monday report from the Financial Times.

Although Mitsubishi considered joining the Honda-Nissan merger, that was old news by late January. That alliance might have been part of the problem. Although not an actual merger, the car companies involved each own stakes in the other—in Renault's case,

Japan’s Nissan and Honda have ended discussions on a deal that would have created the world’s third-largest carmaker.

It's no secret that Nissan was unhappy with Honda's terms to potentially merge, but insiders have detailed just what broke the relationship.