Japan court OKs extending custody of ex-Nissan chair

A Tokyo court on Friday extended the detention of former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, local media said, after his arrest on allegations of financial misconduct that have shaken the auto industry.

The extension means Ghosn could remain in a Tokyo cell for another 10 days while prosecutors investigate allegations he under-reported his salary by millions of dollars over five years.

The 64-year-old tycoon was arrested on November 19 and prosecutors have already extended his detention once, while two of the companies he led — Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors — have voted to remove him.

The extension gives prosecutors until December 10 to decide whether to indict Ghosn on charges of under-reporting his salary. If he is indicted, he could then be released awaiting trial or held in pre-trial detention.

Prosecutors could also choose to file additional charges against him, and with each charge, they can seek to hold Ghosn for another 22 days.

Ghosn’s detention even before charges have been officially filed against him has prompted some criticism abroad, particularly in France, where the executive holds citizenship.

On Thursday, the deputy head of the Tokyo prosecutor’s office rejected the criticism, saying: “We do not unnecessarily keep people in custody for a long time.”

“I do not criticize other countries’ systems just because they are different,” Shin Kukimoto added.

Ghosn, who denies the allegations against him, faces an array of claims involving hiding money and benefits he received while chairman of Nissan and head of an alliance between the Japanese firm, Mitsubishi Motors and France’s Renault.