Japan's Supreme Court has turned down an appeal by the lawyers for Nissan's former Chairman Carlos Ghosn to end his detention following his arrest for the fourth time on financial misconduct allegations.

The court decision came Friday, and was relayed to foreign media Monday.

Ghosn was arrested in November and released on bail last month, but was re-arrested April 4.

He's been charged with falsifying financial documents in under-reporting his retirement compensation and with breach of trust in allegedly dubious payments.

He says he's innocent, noting that the compensation was never decided and that the payments were legitimate.

His detention has been approved through April 22 but can be extended. It's unclear when his trial will start.

Ghosn led Nissan for two decades, rescuing it from the brink of bankruptcy.