The former chairman of Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, has used his first public appearance since fleeing Japan to accuse the country’s prosecutor of trying to force a flawed confession.
Ghosn was arrested in November 2018 on charges that related to under-reporting his salary, using Nissan money for private investments and to employ his sister as a highly-paid consultant. He has denied the allegations.
Speaking to reporters in Beirut Wednesday, Ghosn said while under arrest he was questioned for up to eight hours a day, without access to lawyers, and was told his family would suffer if he didn’t confess.
“”Just confess and it will be over. Not only will we go after you, and we will go after your family,” Ghosn said he was told.
Without elaborating, the fugitive ex-auto exec also said Japanese prosecutors had leaked false information to the press, as well as concealing evidence that would have helped his case.
He told reporters he had looked forward to Wednesday’s opportunity to speak for more than 400 days after he had been “ripped from my family, friends, communities, from Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi and the 450,000 women and men who comprised those companies.”
Carlos Ghosn, former chief executive officer of Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA, gestures as he speaks to the media at the Lebanese Press Syndicate in Beirut, Lebanon, on Wednesday, Jan. 8,. 2020. Ripped from my family, my friends, my communities, from Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi and the 450,000 women and men who comprise those companies. It is impossible to express the depth of that deprivation and my profound appreciation to once again be able to be reunited with my family and loved ones, Ghosn said. Photographer: Hasan Shaaban/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Hasan Shaaban/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Ghosn has suggested that his arrest was the result of a plot to prevent him from fully merging Nissan with French auto firm Renault.
“I was ready to retire before June 2018 … I unfortunately accepted this offer to continue to integrate the two companies (Renault and Nissan),” said Ghosn before adding, “Some of my Japanese friends thought that the only way to get rid of the influence of Renault on Nissan, was to get rid of me.”
Hitoshi Kawaguchi, who previously handled government affairs for Nissan; Hidetoshi Imazu, the auto firm’s statutory auditor; and board member Masakazu Toyoda were identified by Ghosn as the three main people behind a plot to topple him.
“With the strings being pulled and manipulated by those dead set on securing a confession or conviction whose only goal is to save face. The facts, truth and justice are irrelevant to these individuals,” he said.
A spokesperson for Nissan was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.
The former executive also accused the Japanese prosecution of working closely with Nissan. “The collusion between Nissan and the prosecutor is everywhere.”
The 65-year-old made a dramatic escape from Japan on December 29 while awaiting trial in Tokyo. He had been released from prison last April after lodging a $14 million bail sum.
Ghosn reportedly took Japan’s famous bullet train from Tokyo to western Osaka, before using a private jet to ferry himself to Istanbul and then switching planes to travel on to the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
Ghosn said his decision to escape was not difficult, adding “You’re going to die in Japan or you have to get out.”
The former auto boss holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship. Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan, has said Ghosn entered the country legally.
Interpol, the international police cooperation body, has issued a “red notice” for Ghosn’s arrest but so far Lebanese authorities have taken no action.
