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| Carlos Ghosn complains of ‘corrupt, inhumane’ justice system in Japan in first public appearance since escape | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| TOKYO — Carlos Ghosn proclaimed his innocence on Wednesday in his first public appearance since his escape from Japan, complaining of what he said was a corrupt, inhumane, anachronistic and hostile justice system in Japan. | |
| "These allegations are untrue and I should never have been arrested in the first place," he said. "I'm here to clear my name. | |
| Ghosn complained of a "campaign by a handful of malevolent actors" to take him down, and of his detention under a "corrupt and hostile system that presumed my guilt from day one." | |
| Ghosn has already said that he was fleeing political persecution and a rigged Japanese justice system, arguing that a coup was launched against him to block his plans to turn the alliance between Nissan and Renault into a merger. He has told Fox Business he has “actual evidence” to back up his claims and is preparing to name those behind the alleged conspiracy. | Ghosn has already said that he was fleeing political persecution and a rigged Japanese justice system, arguing that a coup was launched against him to block his plans to turn the alliance between Nissan and Renault into a merger. He has told Fox Business he has “actual evidence” to back up his claims and is preparing to name those behind the alleged conspiracy. |
| The war of words has intensified this week in the run-up to Ghosn’s public appearance. | The war of words has intensified this week in the run-up to Ghosn’s public appearance. |
| On Wednesday, Ghosn’s defense team accused Nissan of a “gross perversion of the truth” for claiming that it conducted a robust internal investigation into its former boss. | On Wednesday, Ghosn’s defense team accused Nissan of a “gross perversion of the truth” for claiming that it conducted a robust internal investigation into its former boss. |
| The Japanese carmaker issued a statement Tuesday saying it would continue to pursue legal action “to hold Ghosn accountable for the harm that his misconduct has caused” to the company, citing “incontrovertible evidence” of various acts including the misstatement of his compensation and “misappropriation of the company’s assets for his personal benefit.” | The Japanese carmaker issued a statement Tuesday saying it would continue to pursue legal action “to hold Ghosn accountable for the harm that his misconduct has caused” to the company, citing “incontrovertible evidence” of various acts including the misstatement of his compensation and “misappropriation of the company’s assets for his personal benefit.” |
| But Ghosn’s international defense team issued a scathing rebuttal on Wednesday. | But Ghosn’s international defense team issued a scathing rebuttal on Wednesday. |
| Ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn flees to Lebanon, slams Japan’s justice system | Ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn flees to Lebanon, slams Japan’s justice system |
| “The facts demonstrate that investigation was never about finding the truth; it was initiated and carried out for the specific, predetermined purpose of taking down Carlos Ghosn to prevent him from further integrating Nissan and Renault, which threatened the independence of Nissan, one of Japan’s iconic, flagship companies,” the statement said. | “The facts demonstrate that investigation was never about finding the truth; it was initiated and carried out for the specific, predetermined purpose of taking down Carlos Ghosn to prevent him from further integrating Nissan and Renault, which threatened the independence of Nissan, one of Japan’s iconic, flagship companies,” the statement said. |
| Nissan’s investigation, it said, was run by executive Hari Nada, “whose own conduct was the subject of the investigation,” with the help of the company’s long-standing outside counsel, which had already given the company legal advice on the same issue. Nissan never sought to interview Ghosn nor shared with him or the public the evidence it purported to find, it said. | Nissan’s investigation, it said, was run by executive Hari Nada, “whose own conduct was the subject of the investigation,” with the help of the company’s long-standing outside counsel, which had already given the company legal advice on the same issue. Nissan never sought to interview Ghosn nor shared with him or the public the evidence it purported to find, it said. |
| “These are not the hallmarks of a company committed to conducting fair and impartial investigation, rather evidence that Nissan’s investigation was fundamentally flawed, biased, and lacking in independence from its inception,” the legal team said. | “These are not the hallmarks of a company committed to conducting fair and impartial investigation, rather evidence that Nissan’s investigation was fundamentally flawed, biased, and lacking in independence from its inception,” the legal team said. |
| On Tuesday, Tokyo prosecutors also issued an arrest warrant for Ghosn’s wife Carole, alleging she committed perjury when giving evidence during their investigation. She is with her husband in Lebanon, whose government has stressed that it has no extradition treaty with Japan. | On Tuesday, Tokyo prosecutors also issued an arrest warrant for Ghosn’s wife Carole, alleging she committed perjury when giving evidence during their investigation. She is with her husband in Lebanon, whose government has stressed that it has no extradition treaty with Japan. |
| On Wednesday, prosecutors also visited the offices of Ghosn’s Japanese lawyers, in an attempt to seize two computers there that Ghosn had used, with the court’s permission, to work on his defense. But lawyer Junichiro Hironaka said in a statement that the attempted raid violated the principles of confidentiality embedded in the country’s legal code and that he prevented them from entering. | On Wednesday, prosecutors also visited the offices of Ghosn’s Japanese lawyers, in an attempt to seize two computers there that Ghosn had used, with the court’s permission, to work on his defense. But lawyer Junichiro Hironaka said in a statement that the attempted raid violated the principles of confidentiality embedded in the country’s legal code and that he prevented them from entering. |
| The Ghosn saga has left no one involved smelling of roses. | The Ghosn saga has left no one involved smelling of roses. |
| Japan issues arrest warrant for Ghosn’s wife, as war of words intensifies | Japan issues arrest warrant for Ghosn’s wife, as war of words intensifies |
| The affair has thrown an unflattering spotlight on Japan’s justice system, where prosecutors wield immense powers to detain people for long periods and interrogate them without the presence of defense counsel — to obtain confessions — and where conviction rates after indictment are 99 percent. | The affair has thrown an unflattering spotlight on Japan’s justice system, where prosecutors wield immense powers to detain people for long periods and interrogate them without the presence of defense counsel — to obtain confessions — and where conviction rates after indictment are 99 percent. |
| Defense lawyers complain that prosecutors routinely delay or deny them access to evidence, or even destroy evidence, while leaking damning details to the press, but the country’s Justice Ministry says it sees no need to change the system. | Defense lawyers complain that prosecutors routinely delay or deny them access to evidence, or even destroy evidence, while leaking damning details to the press, but the country’s Justice Ministry says it sees no need to change the system. |
| The scandal has damaged Nissan’s image and left the car company grappling with plunging sales and profits. But it has also tarnished Ghosn’s reputation. He has been fired by both Nissan and Renault has become a fugitive with an Interpol red notice against his name. | The scandal has damaged Nissan’s image and left the car company grappling with plunging sales and profits. But it has also tarnished Ghosn’s reputation. He has been fired by both Nissan and Renault has become a fugitive with an Interpol red notice against his name. |
| In September, Ghosn paid the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $1 million to settle fraud charges for failing to disclose $140 million to be paid to him in retirement. | In September, Ghosn paid the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $1 million to settle fraud charges for failing to disclose $140 million to be paid to him in retirement. |
| Under that deal, Nissan was also forced to pay $15 million to settle charges that the car company and Ghosn neither admitted nor denied. | Under that deal, Nissan was also forced to pay $15 million to settle charges that the car company and Ghosn neither admitted nor denied. |
| Japan issues arrest warrant for Ghosn’s wife, as war of words intensifies | Japan issues arrest warrant for Ghosn’s wife, as war of words intensifies |
| Ghosn’s mounting despair at Japanese justice may have persuaded him to flee | Ghosn’s mounting despair at Japanese justice may have persuaded him to flee |
| Carlos Ghosn walked out of his home alone, security camera footage shows | Carlos Ghosn walked out of his home alone, security camera footage shows |
| Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world |
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