It was not clear when a trial would take place - the fear was it could take years - and Mr Ghosn faced a further 15 years in prison if convicted, in a country which has a It was during a period of house arrest, when Mr Ghosn was told he would not be allowed to have any contact with his wife, Carole, that he decided to find a way out.
He said the idea of using a large box that would normally contain musical instruments "was the most logical one, particularly that around this time there were a lot of concerts in Japan". But how would someone once so famous - now infamous - in Japan be able to get from his home in the capital to an airport and make his escape?
The plan was, said Mr Ghosn, to behave as normally as possible on the day. Mr Ghosn would have to swap the suits he'd worn for years as a high profile executive in the global automotive sector for something a little more casual. Think jeans and trainers. From Tokyo, Mr Ghosn travelled by bullet train to Osaka where a private jet was waiting at the local airport to depart. But first, the box, which was waiting for Mr Ghosn at a nearby hotel. If you miss it, you're going to pay with your life, with the life of a hostage in Japan'.
Mr Ghosn was transported from the hotel to the airport by two men, who were posing as musicians. In all, Mr Ghosn reckons he was in the box for around an hour and a half, though it felt like it lasted "one year and a half".
The private jet took off on time, and Mr Ghosn - now free from his confines - flew through the night, swapped planes in Turkey before landing in Beirut the next morning. Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan so Mr Ghosn has been allowed to remain there. Also facing jail is Greg Kelly, Mr Ghosn's former colleague at Nissan, who remains under house arrest in Tokyo over allegations he helped his former boss disguise his earnings.
Mr Kelly denies the charges. Mr Ghosn said: "I've been told that the end of [Greg Kelly's] trial will be probably by the end of this year. And then God knows what's going to be the results of this trial for, as I said, a bogus reason. It was a bravura performance. Mr Ghosn is no longer the star of the auto industry, but whatever the truth or otherwise of the charges against him, he clearly still knows how to work a room.
He railed against the Japanese justice system, which he said violated the basic principles of humanity. He condemned the "vindictive, inglorious individuals" he claimed were conspiring against him.
He offered a detailed defence to counter the claims Japanese prosecutors have filed against him, and still found time to tear into the way he claims Nissan and Renault are now being mismanaged. We can now expect his arguments to be scrutinised closely - and no doubt both Nissan and the Japanese government will respond. But he has certainly seized the agenda - and combined with his dramatic escape, has done so in style.
Mr Ghosn's lawyers had told him it would be five years before he could expect a judgement in the case, he said. He came under pressure to admit to the alleged crimes, he said, to bring the matter to a close. As a result, he claimed it was not hard to come to the decision that he would either have to "die in Japan or Mr Ghosn believes he is the victim of a plot between Nissan and the Japanese judiciary. He alleges they wished to oust him from his role at the top of Nissan over concerns about Renault's growing influence.
In , he helped mastermind a deal that saw Renault rescue Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy. On Tuesday, Japanese authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Ghosn's wife Carole, who was accused of giving false testimony.
Mr Ghosn was arrested initially in November Full Terms and Conditions apply to all Subscriptions. Or, if you are already a subscriber Sign in. Other options. Close drawer menu Financial Times International Edition. Search the FT Search.
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