Former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn fled from Japan to Lebanon in an audacious getaway (Picture: AP)

Nissan’s former chairman reportedly fled Japan hidden in a musical instrument case during a daring escape to Lebanon which involved ex special forces and a Gregorian band.

According to Lebanese channel MTV, Carlos Ghosn – who was under house arrest in Tokyo – had the band perform at the home where he was under house arrest, before being smuggled out in a large case and whisked away to an airport.

He then appears to have flown to Istanbul, Turkey, before boarding another private plane to Lebanon in a movie-style bid to avoid jail in Japan.

Japanese authorities – who had Ghosn under heavy surveillance – were taken by surprise at the audacious move, which came after the Lebanese, French and Brazilian citizen had surrendered his passports.




Ghosn has said that he had fled not to escape justice but to avoid ‘injustice and political persecution’ over financial misconduct allegations.

Ghosn’s Lebanese, French and Brazilian passports had apparently been confiscated, but officials in Lebanon said he entered the country on his French passport and Lebanese ID (Picture: AFP)

He had been released on bail by a Tokyo court while awaiting trial on charges under-reporting his future compensation and breach of trust, but was not allowed to travel overseas.

In a statement, he did not describe how he left Japan but promised to talk to reporters next week.

It added: ‘I am now in Lebanon and will no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant, and basic human rights are denied, in flagrant disregard of Japan’s legal obligations under international law and treaties it is bound to uphold.’

Ghosn was arrested in November 2018 and set to face trial in April.

Prosecutors fought his release, but a court granted him bail with conditions that he be monitored and he could not meet his wife Carole, who is also of Lebanese origin.

Japan does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon and it is unclear what steps authorities might take as confusion reigned over how he had pulled off the escape.

Journalists at the back entrance of a Tokyo building which houses an office of Junichiro Hironaka, a lawyer for Ghosn, today (Picture: AP)

Ghosn has repeatedly asserted his innocence, saying authorities trumped up charges to prevent a possible fuller merger between Nissan and alliance partner Renault.

Ghosn had been visiting his lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, to work on his case, nearly everyday.

But Mr Hironaka said today that he was stunned that Ghosn had jumped bail and denied any knowledge of the escape. He said the lawyers had all of Ghosn’s three passports and he was puzzled by how he could have left the country.

In the first official Lebanese comment, state minister for presidential affairs Selim Jreissati told the An-Nahar newspaper that Ghosn entered Lebanon legally through the airport with his French passport and his Lebanese ID.

Mr Jreissati told the paper that in a meeting with Japan’s deputy foreign minister, he presented a file to the Tokyo authorities asking for Ghosn to be handed over to be tried in Lebanon according to international anti-corruption laws, of which Lebanon is a signatory.

Junichiro Hironaka, right, said he was stunned that his client had jumped bail (Picture: AP)

He added that since there was no official word from Japan and it was not yet clear how Ghosn came to Lebanon, the government there will take no formal stance.



The Lebanese General Security, which is in charge of border crossings and foreigners, said Ghosn had entered the country legally and there was no reason to take any action against him.

Ghosn, who had posted 1.5 billion yen (£10 million) bail on two separate releases, was credited with leading a spectacular turnaround at Nissan beginning in the late 1990s, rescuing the firm from near-bankruptcy.

People in Lebanon took special pride in the motor industry star, who speaks fluent Arabic and visited the country regularly.

Before the negative publicity surrounding the charges, Ghosn was also a celebrity in Japan, revered for his managerial acumen.

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