Japanese justice minister visits Lebanon over fugitive Ghosn

Japan’s deputy justice minister met top officials in Leban Monday over case of former Nissan’s fugitive ex-boss Carlos Ghosn who fled to his home country late last year while on bail in Japan and awaiting trial.

Ghosn was arrested in late 2018 and is facing charges of under-reporting income and breach of trust. He says he is incent. He led Nissan for nearly 20 years.

State Minister of Justice Hiroyuki Yoshiie met President Michel Aoun as well as Lebanese ministers of justice and foreign affairs. Yoshiie did t speak to reporters after meetings and is scheduled to hold a news conference later in day.

Aoun’s office said in a tweet after meeting that y discussed mutual relations and ways of developing m “in dition to matters that are of interest for both countries.”

tweet did t mention Ghosn who me his first public appearance in Leban in early January saying he fled a “nightmare” that would t end and vowed to defend his name wherever he can get a fair trial.

On Friday, Japan’s Justice Minister Masako Mori said she was dispatching official to Beirut to explain Japanese criminal justice system and improve cooperation.

She said Japan hoped Leban would gain “a proper understanding of Japanese criminal justice system.”

Japan and Leban do t have an extrition treaty and it’s unlikely Leban would agree to send Ghosn back to Japan to face trial.

Mori ackwledged that re were “various environments” and laws that underpin each country’s stance.

Nissan, maker of Leaf electric car and Z sports car, said in a statement regarding justice official’s trip that it hoped Ghosn would return to Japan to stand trial, “so that all facts can be properly established under Japan’s judicial system.”

Having spent months in detention and struggled to gain his release on bail under stringent conditions, Ghosn said he fled in belief he could t get a fair trial in Japan.

Japan has requested Ghosn’s return through Interpol and issued an arrest warrant after his escape.

Lebanese prosecutors issued a travel ban for Ghosn in January and asked him to hand in his French passport following an Interpol-issued tice against him.

Nissan’s sales have plunged recently, and it sank into losses for last fiscal quarter. brand is widely considered to have been tarnished by controversy around Ghosn.

Last month, Nissan filed a civil dam lawsuit against its fugitive ex-chief, seeking 10 billion yen ($90 million) in dams. claim ded costs of what Nissan called Ghosn’s “corrupt practices,” such as rent for overseas property, use of corporate jets and payments for internal investigation into wrongdoing.