Auto manager fled to Lebanon: Japan’s press pulls over “cowardly” Ghosn

Wednesday, January 01, 2020

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Carlos Ghosn faces a prison sentence of several years in Japan for financial crimes. The former Renault Nissan boss therefore sees no other way than to evade the judiciary and flee to Lebanon on opaque routes. The Japanese media are foaming.

The escape of the former Renault Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn from Japan has been sharply criticized in the Japanese media. Among other things, the newspaper “Yomiuri Shimbun” accused the ex-manager prosecuted for financial crimes by the judiciary. By leaving Lebanon, he “gave up the opportunity to prove his innocence and defend his honor,” the newspaper wrote.

Several media rated Ghosn’s escape as a mockery of the judiciary in Japan. The liberal newspaper “Tokyo Shimbun” wrote that Ghosn’s departure violated his bail requirements and “mocked the Japanese judicial system”. It is very likely that the trial against him will not take place now. His claim that he wanted to prove his innocence in court was questionable.

Some media also criticized the Japanese judiciary: the court’s decision to release the former top manager on bail now seems unwise. The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper quoted a leading prosecutor saying that what the prosecutor had predicted had now occurred. Their “careful work” to collect evidence against Ghosn in Japan and abroad is ruined.

A former Nissan manager was disappointed with Ghosn’s move in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. “The entrepreneur who ran Nissan for so many years and was internationally known turns out to be that kind of person. I dropped my jaw. I don’t have the words,” the newspaper quoted the ex-manager.

Ghosn lawyer learns of leaving the media

At the beginning of the week, it was announced that the 65-year-old Ghosn had fled to Lebanon. He said in a written statement that he had escaped “injustice and political persecution” in Japan. He was no longer held hostage by the “manipulated Japanese judicial system”.

Ghosn was closely monitored in Japan and had to surrender his passports – he has French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship. One of his lawyers in Japan said he knew nothing of his client’s escape and spoke of inexcusable behavior. Ghosn could not have used any of his three passports to escape because they were still in the hands of his lawyers under the bail requirements, Junichiro Hironaka said. He hadn’t spoken to Ghosn in a week and heard about the news when he left the country.

According to reports from the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghosn entered the country legally with a French passport. He used his Lebanese identity card during normal security checks. According to insiders, he flew a private jet from Istanbul to Beirut on Monday. Both the French and Lebanese foreign ministries said they knew nothing about the circumstances of Ghosn’s trip. Ghosn should not face legal consequences in Lebanon. His arrival was a private matter, the country’s foreign ministry said. There is no extradition agreement with Japan.

The once celebrated top manager was arrested in Tokyo in November 2018 on suspicion of infidelity and financial misconduct at Nissan. He is accused of claiming that his income was too low, that the car maker Nissan was damaged by five million euros, and that he had personally enriched himself. Nissan had dismissed Ghosn a little later as director. Ghosn then resigned as Renault boss. He denies the allegations and sees himself as the victim of an internal intrigue at Nissan over opposition to a closer alliance with Renault.

Ghosn was in Japanese custody for around four months, but was released under strict conditions in the spring. The start of his trial was scheduled for the coming spring. He faces a prison sentence of several years.

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