Japan requests extradition of Ghosn smuggling accused

Japan said an extradition request was being prepared after a former Green Beret and his son were arrested on Wednesday in the US on charges they smuggled Nissan Motor Company Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan.

Ghosn escaped in a box while he awaited trial in Tokyo on financial misconduct charges.

Michael Taylor, a former Green Beret and private security specialist, and Peter Taylor are wanted by Japan on charges they helped Ghosn escape the country in December after he was released on bail.

Yoshihide Suga, a top government spokesperson, said Japan was aware of the arrest and had made a request for provisional detention to the United States.

The Taylors were arrested by the US Marshals Service in Harvard. They appeared before a federal judge from jail via video conference, wearing orange jumpsuits and tan face coverings because of the coronavirus pandemic.

An attorney for the Taylors said they plan to challenge Japan's extradition request "on several legal and factual grounds".