Honda did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Honda CEO: Merger is not a Nissan rescue. Honda's shares had initially fallen when news first broke of the merger

SIGN UP for TheStreet’s FREE Daily newsletter 💰💸 While his tenure also brought about landmark products like the all-electric Nissan Leaf and the Nissan GT-R supercar; his tenure with the automaker,

The proposed deal aims to unify operations under a joint holding company, led by Honda, while maintaining the distinct identities of each brand, according to Honda's president, Toshihiro Mibe. If finalized, the merger would position the combined entity to better compete with market leaders Toyota and Volkswagen.