Ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has confirmed on Tuesday he is in Lebanon, saying he refused to be "held hostage" by a "rigged" Japanese justice system, raising questions about how one of the world's most-recognized executives exited Japan months before his trial.
Ghosn's abrupt departure marks the latest dramatic twist in a year-old saga that has shaken the global auto industry, jeopardized the alliance of Nissan Motor Co Ltd and its top shareholder Renault SA and cast a harsh light on the fairness of Japan's judicial system.
"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," Ghosn, 65, said in a brief statement on Tuesday.