More details emerge on Ghosn's escape from Japan

@nishikat Don't make me laugh, but I will - lol.

"Would Ghosn be free as a bird under the American system? Or is this just Japan hating? As far as I know he would also be under arrest for the same crimes in the USA. Also, upon conviction you do a lot less time in Japan than the USA. If I was going to be convicted then I would rather face the Japanese system."

It's not Japan hating. The fact that Japan can detain and intimidate a suspect before any proof of guilt for weeks is an issue. The fact he doesn't get legal representation is an issue. The fact that Japan boasts a 99% conviction rate is a huge, blaring, WTF is that issue. 99%... really? You sure? No person or institution is that correct. Either they are really guilty or the Japanese police force a confession. You think any civilized country accepts that? Don't put the horse before the cart. Btw, he hasn't been convicted. There still isn't any proof. All just media leaks by Nissan as an attempt at character assassination and to drum up public anger and support. Lol, they could have handled all this behind closed doors and a face-to-face chat. For how much he is claimed to have stolen (in the future? lol), stock prices and overall damage far outside that. Well played Nissan! Remember, not to spit in wind.

This is going to be a good movie one day: "Going Going Ghosn! His Great Escape."

.And an autistic Scandanavian who did 21 days,but was released when they had nothing on her.Reads familiar?

21 days detention is really make problems.

Well, rice cookers can be used for terrorist acts as well

which would be worrying if people could fly rice cookers in the sky, or at least ride them at enough pace to do harm.

Already they are speaking of restricting bail for foreigners - regardless of whether they own planes or not.

There might be a general restrictions in bail conditions, surrender all passports, ankle monitors etc, foreigners or not,but can you blame them.

Ghosn didn’t do anyone a favor, so we should not be cheering him on.

This will be turned into a movie

What measurement standards are you using? Baggage check has been in place since the 1970s, thats not recent unless you are 100 years old.

I have flown much more recently than that without baggage checks. Though my sense of "recent" may stretch farther than yours.

> People on private planes don't have to worry about this, so their luggage is not normally checked.

Which is wrong, private planes can be used for committing terrorist acts.

Well, rice cookers can be used for terrorist acts as well. The point is passenger safety. Lots of strangers on commercial flights, and only a handful of people who know each other on private flights. The likelihood of one of them wanting to kill the others is very low - thus the lax security.

The problem is, the Japanese government will agree with you and make all kinds of restrictive new rules to apply to foreigners in Japan

Hate to point it out, but private terminals and planes are not used exclusively by foreigners.

Yeah, I think we all know that. Doesn't negate the point that foreigners will get the brunt of the reaction. No reason to be cheering the bureaucrats on

Regular people will suffer the fall-out

If you mean regular people who own planes, I agree. But most regular people don't own planes, we fly commercial!!

Already they are speaking of restricting bail for foreigners - regardless of whether they own planes or not. This are the regular people I am talking about.

@kurisupisu

Up until now, yes. Just after I posted that another article appeared on JT saying;

Meanwhile, Japan's transport minister said Tuesday large luggage carried by private jet passengers will undergo mandatory inspections both on arrival and before departure. Transport minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said the measure was introduced as of Monday at Haneda, Narita, Chubu and Kansai airports...

Better late than never I suppose, at least from their POV.

Amazing plan! I have to commend this guy. 65 years old and he escaped in a box. He knew exactly how to get around the Japanese system by having a team of experts behind him and succeeded in doing so. Kudos to Ghosn!

So, by that flaw it would be possible to

take anybody out of Japan without the Japanese authorities knowing-scary!

The reason Kansai Airport was chosen ...

*WSJ revealed that during a trip to Osaka's Kansai Airport a few months (ago), Taylor noticed a critical security flaw in the airport terminal for chartered flights: The security equipment used to scan luggage was too small to X-Ray oversize luggage. This proved to be critical: The box that carried Ghosn ... was not closely scrutinized by airport officials.*

The world is a joke, law is a joke, justice is a joke.

Japan's Justice System is definitely a joke, mochiron desu!

Exactly. A mere week ago he had the world at his feet and a promising career ahead of him and now he's blown it.

Huh? Where was the above tripe copied and pasted from?

@Crapahat - it was not copied and pasted from anywhere - it was a highly sarcastic response. A week earlier he was an unemployed 65 year old under house arrest awaiting imprisonment.

Until recently, nobody's luggage was checked when leaving a country. Even passports were barely checked. 

In Japan, maybe but I've had my luggage and passports checked occasionally over the decades. The rudest staff were US customs.

Until recently, nobody's luggage was checked when leaving a country. Even passports were barely checked.

What measurement standards are you using? Baggage check has been in place since the 1970s, thats not recent unless you are 100 years old.

People on private planes don't have to worry about this, so their luggage is not normally checked.

Which is wrong, private planes can be used for committing terrorist acts.

The problem is, the Japanese government will agree with you and make all kinds of restrictive new rules to apply to foreigners in Japan

Hate to point it out, but private terminals and planes are not used exclusively by foreigners.

Regular people will suffer the fall-out

If you mean regular people who own planes, I agree. But most regular people don't own planes, we fly commercial!!

One thing is certain. Ghosn is now finished as a global executive.

not really. Could operate behind the scenes or be an excellent consultant

In a country like Lebanon he might be in high demand

I think that is only for traffic leaving the country not the traffic arriving.

Bingo? And they probably tried some dry runs.

and unfair japanese systems for foreigners.

Would Ghosn be free as a bird under the American system? Or is this just Japan hating? As far as I know he would also be under arrest for the same crimes in the USA. Also, upon conviction you do a lot less time in Japan than the USA. If I was going to be convicted then I would rather face the Japanese system.

lol... everyone saying how did Ghosn escape Japan. Meanwhile no one questions how a non-Japanese speaking foreign CEO who doesn't deal with day-to-day adminsitrative work get past layers of the companies Japanese-run accounting department and hired Japanese auditors (likely one of the big 4 accounting firms). Ghosn cannot just write himself a check, and he can't just login to the bank's account and wire himself money.

Carlos did a good job, now, he can speak to the world abt real Japan and unfair japanese systems for foreigners.

Japan's Criminal System is Criminal. May Ghosn enjoy his life and be done with this third world country's penal system. If it was fair, I strongly believe he should stand trial and I am sure he would have but in Japan, you are guilty and are not allowed to prove your innocents. Truth and facts are what the prosecution says they are, not actual truths and facts.

I like the way some reports about this are referring to KIX as a "regional airport", an expression usually used for pokey little places with a short runway and three flights a day. KIX is a major international airport, and this is a huge security breach to have happened there.

Doesn't matter how long it takes them to cook up excuses, Japan let him slip away while claiming to be the most high tech and advanced nation when it comes to the potential to stop terrorist threats and what not. The most widely recognised foreigner in Japan, with the trials being followed pretty much daily by millions, but he very easily just walked away. Now Japan is taking their sweet time to try and deflect and say it's not their fault, keeping details at bay while they create all sorts of reasons to blame it on him, etc.

"The details of his escape remain spotty, with Japan saying it is still investigating how he slipped past strict security measures imposed as part of his bail conditions."

Of course they keep it spotty... it's called deflection.

"Japan's transport ministry told AFP that luggage checks are not mandatory for private jets."

So, terrorists need only rent a jet. Talk about great security. How many jets coming in for the Olympics?

Shoganai.

Surely the Japanese authorities would realize that the typical foreigner doesn't have the financial resources to arrange the sort of elaborate (and expensive) escape that Ghosn arranged.

Then again, maybe not.

in a logical justice system that would be true , but this is Japan, itll just give them the excuse that prolonged detention is the only way to stop people escaping regardless of their innocence or not. Logic and justice aren't related in Japanese justice

How many days already, the criminals are still free.

agreed , how many japanese executives have avoided detention and jail terms for their corruption, ive lost count now.

That is worrying, anyone can put anything in a plane and fly away, the security implications are mind boggling.

Just because you are rich shouldn't mean you should be able to bypass rules.

One positive fall-out of the Ghost fiasco is that this will come to an end.

There are already enough rules, and the security implications are not mind-boggling. Until recently, nobody's luggage was checked when leaving a country. Even passports were barely checked. The only reason luggage is checked now is to prevent terrorist acts against people on commercial aircraft. People on private planes don't have to worry about this, so their luggage is not normally checked.

The problem is, the Japanese government will agree with you and make all kinds of restrictive new rules to apply to foreigners in Japan based on this one exceptional case. Regular people will suffer the fall-out, even though most regular people don't have the resources to escape the way Ghosn did. But the government will use this as an excuse to make life more difficult for foreign residents.

MeiyouwentiToday 07:21 am JSTOne thing is certain. Ghosn is now finished as a global executive.

Why should that matter? Even if he never gets to leave Lebanon he can live a cozy life with all that big money from now on.

AramaTaihenNoYouDidnt

Not a bad pilot for the next James Bond flick, I'll say.

And maybe he can say he now runs SPECTRE. Either way, I see some serious movie potential here - James Bond 007 or otherwise.

With all the savvy technology and still managed to pull it off - insane to say the least. Not a bad pilot for the next James Bond flick, I'll say. Stay tune for his frenzy press-conference.

Operators of private jets decide if luggage checks are necessary or not 

That is worrying, anyone can put anything in a plane and fly away, the security implications are mind boggling.

Just because you are rich shouldn't mean you should be able to bypass rules.

One positive fall-out of the Ghost fiasco is that this will come to an end.

Disillusioned Today  08:56 am JST

any foreigner that finds himself or herself on the wrong side of Japanese law can forget about any chance of gaining bail

Hopefully that's not going to be the case.

Surely the Japanese authorities would realize that the typical foreigner doesn't have the financial resources to arrange the sort of elaborate (and expensive) escape that Ghosn arranged.

Then again, maybe not.

Come on Hollywood!

It is interesting to note that there is one rule for those with money ie no checks for private jets and myriad checks for those without.

Everyday we read of scandals involving real estate,stocks, bribery, collusion to fix prices etc.

It is the privileged in society refusing to live honest lives.

Yet, the majority of us are put under the microscope...

Carlos’s Redemption

Tip off to Japanese police:

That vending machine looks dodgy to me he's in it!

Or, being as how he had real pros, ex-Green Beret Michael Taylor and George Zayek

What's in the future for these people, especially Taylor is American, obviously. But does he have to fear legally once he's back home in the USA? What Taylor did is not murder- he didn't kill anyone. But can he be held by American authorities for assisting a fugitive escape in Japan - then extradited back to japan? If I were Taylor I would be freaking out. Great!!! Full name (Michael Taylor) and former military status (Green Beret) in public view for all to see including authorities in any country and in USA. What comes next for not only Taylor but the other people who assisted in illegally assisting an alleged criminal? I'm not sure if I can find Taylor's info and pic on Google yet, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Does Taylor have any passports other than American so he can camp out safely like Ghosn can in Lebanon (at least for the time being)? I would guess as long as Ghosn stays put in Lebanon his legal risks are a lot smaller than Taylor's (or other "pros" assisting Ghosn - and some have already been arrested by Turkey if I remember correctly).

Let's check on that:

Turkish authorities have arrested five of seven suspects detained in connection with the escape from Japan of former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn

(news source)

Yes, Taylor and company should be freaking out.

Interesting quote:

Former GM executive Bob Lutz says fugitive auto titan Carlos Ghosn has a 'god complex' Former General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz believes ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn's ego contributed to the executive's fall from grace.

(news source)

Pretty sure you can whatever you want, as long as you have enough budget.

Japan is a mask wearing country particularly in winter/flu season. Someone could get away with anything slipping a mask on. Some shops I go into with wanted posters of thieves stealing something from their shop, show the thieves wearing masks as if I am supposed to recognize them.

Yes Hollywood will likely make a movie of this but it will be boring like so much of the other dross they make based on real life.

I agree. Ghosn looks like a twin of Mr Bean! But what he did isn't funny like Bean.

What he did with the help of those pros was pretty slick.

I just wonder why Ghosn does not show up before news reporters. He may not be there in Lebanon yet. He may arrive in Lebanon on 8th. I guess he did not get in the music box and the private jet flew to Turkey. Ghosn maybe was be still hiding somewhere in Japan to wait for another escape plan to sneak in ship. All news reporters are now paying all attention to Lebanon because he is there. Ghosn may be now easier to escape from Japan.

Money will get you everywhere, it seems. Even beyond justice.

As if Ghosn was ever going to have justice served in Japan.

Surgical mask, hat and glasses. No one would’ve given him a second look on the train.

I'm sure the cops are always giving those guys a second look, but there's so many of them, Ghosn easily slipped through. Or, being as how he had real pros, ex-Green Beret Michael Taylor and George Zayek with him, they might have made him up to look like a woman, like Rudy Giuliani when he dressed up in drag for a 2000 charity dinner, haha!

papigiulioToday  08:45 am JST

This means people with private jets could smuggle just about anything out of Japan? 

What is the matter? The customs check only the goods coming into the country. If you remember the good old days before 911, no one checked luggage of out going passengers even on commercial jets.

Rowan Atkinson would be perfect to play Ghosn.

I agree. Ghosn looks like a twin of Mr Bean! But what he did isn't funny like Bean.

The Japanese Police really dropped the ball or rather took their eyes off of it. The old Marine that taught me baseball on Okinawa always said that to me. It seems to me the authorities forgot that simple truth. Never take your eyes off of the suspect. They allowed themselves to get lazy around the New Years holidays. In the end they have no one but themselves to blame.

He likely didn’t know for sure that no one was monitoring him.

Visiting a hotel first was likely to find out, while not yet breaching his bail.

If he wasn’t a criminal before he certainly is now, along with everyone who helped him.

Surgical mask, hat and glasses. No one would’ve given him a second look on the train.

Pure comedy.

He basically left his own place and even boarded the train with no one the wiser.

I still say he could have left the hotel publicly and boarded a scheduled flight to Lebanon and no one would have noticed.

I wonder if his accomplices will be punished.

Money will get you everywhere, it seems. Even beyond justice.

People are becoming aware of the heavy-handed, almost feudalistic justice system in this country... perhaps this will lead people to inquire into the post-war developments which led to neonationalist ultra-conservative war criminals being reinstated to positions of authority.

Would be neat if Carlos showed a copied of his passport STAMPED OUT at KIX tomorrow!!!

Seems the media is NOT spending too much time checking what happened at KIX.

And the prosecution with 24hr surveillance that NO ONE looked at is priceless, I thought they would at least have people watching the live feed, but apparently not LOL!!

The details of his escape remain spotty, with Japan saying it is still investigating how he slipped past strict security measures imposed as part of his bail conditions.

Well all this has been reported already. What more is there to investigate?

They weren't monitoring him 24hrs. Japan has no system to allow for a GPS ankle bracelet etc.

The CCTV system was not being watched.

They allowed him to wander around with a valid French Passport in a plastic pouch.

Japanese airports don't check the outgoing luggage on private jets.

Game over!

Pity he did not drive away in a Nissan car. That would have been a nice touch and might have even helped boost sales. Even in his escape he shows no regard for the company:)

Japan's transport ministry told AFP that luggage checks are not mandatory for private jets.

They will be now, lol.

What you have to do to get a fair trial in Japan.

He's not going to have a trial in Japan. If he ever came back to Japan, they would sentence him to life in prison now.

The Great Escape made-for-Hollywood movie.

Rowan Atkinson would be perfect to play Ghosn.

@toolonggone - Great! Now does that mean the rest of us aren't going to be able to escape?

Not really! However, it dies mean that any foreigner that finds himself or herself on the wrong side of Japanese law can forget about any chance of gaining bail.

He is smarter then the average man he was the boss of two international car companies saved Nissan for starters, and that does not include what he achieved to get to that position. Pearl Harboured at the airport on a lie, held in a medieval system and didn't break even after over 100 days of interrogation. The man is no idiot.

Im sure he had plans A, B, and C. The first trail was set for April 2021, and with a 0.1% chance of the truth being exposed. Got the money got the contacts and the MOJ are as inept at surveillance as they are are getting evidence or understanding what justice or a fair trail involves. Carlos turning his back on a pack of idiots makes perfect sense.

I'm no fan of Mr. Ghosn. Based on what I have seen and his background I'm pretty sure he's guilty of several financial crimes in Japan. And, I think he should be punished appropriately according to law. His escape from Japan is itself a crime. All of that seems pretty easy to understand and I doubt there are many who disagree with it. BUT, people have a right to presumed innocence until a a fair trial in a court of law shows otherwise. There can be no exceptions to this. Japan has a habit of denying due process and allowing the police to run an extortion game against anyone they arrest. Denying a person a lawyer, notification of family, and allowing the police to use physical and mental coercion behind closed doors is the way of totalitarian governments. As Mr. Ghosn tells his story it will likely expose Japan to even more international criticism and damage it's reputation as a modern and exceptional country. Much of the Japanese pretrial process seems to be the same as before WWII and no one thinks that was fair. I'd like to see Japan use this situation to overhaul its legal process and bring it up to international standards.

Japan's transport ministry told AFP that luggage checks are not mandatory for private jets.

And nobody is surprised? I never knew about this. This means people with private jets could smuggle just about anything out of Japan? I guess there is still customs for rich people entering Japan.

That aside, I really want Ghosn to come out with something huge, because now he just made the situation worse for 'honest' foreigners.

COMON JT fix the CRSF stuff

I was wondering what that big white box with drinks inside it was until I read the words on the side. I had thought it was a phone booth.

His escape would make a good Hollywood movie.

What you have to do to get a fair trial in Japan.

He was out on bail. Can't stop him moving about in the country?

But how does one of the most recognized men in Japan, just stroll onto a shinkansen train, even if it was a GranClass car and make it all the way to ShinOsaka without anybody recognizing him?

Err, sunglasses, a hat, and a surgical mask. Like 90% of the population here at any time.

we'll get more details of his escape than the MoJ had for over a year trying to apply charges. This should keep Ghosn in the news for a long long time

Absolutely amazing!!! Whatever reason or consequences are he’s out and that’s it. Can’t wait to see this in movies or read his book!

iya iya iya maa shoganai janai, nihon wa shogatsu wo tanoshimi ni shiteru kara, osechi tabe, osake nonde... dakara niigeta n dayo. motto shikkari shinakya..aaa aa mittomonai!

But how does one of the most recognized men in Japan, just stroll onto a shinkansen train, even if it was a GranClass car and make it all the way to ShinOsaka without anybody recognizing him? Also on December 29th, one of the busiest travel days in Japan? Or maybe that was the plan, travel when things were so hectic nobody would notice.

It's amazing how this relatively minor aspect of the Ghosn Affair - just how he managed to escape Japan - is being given such airplay in Japan, probably with government pushing via the Kisha Clubs. Yes, he was hidden when he passed through the immigation barrier, we all know that. Why waste time on it? This was news a few days ago, but not now.

The bigger issues are the evident corruption in Nissan, the willingness of the Prosecutor's Office to take this on with little apparent evidence, the prosecution and incarceration of Ghosn and Kelly but not other Nissan executives, the unbelievably unfair conditions by international standards faced by Ghosn while he awaited prosecution at some undetermined date (2021 onwards?), and the presumption of guilt, with the added implication that this was because he was a foreigner, who happened to force rationalization in a traditional company.

The biggest issue of all of course is Japan's slow movement toward true internationalization and the people at the cutting face who get hurt...oh, and how Ghosn is leading the way...looking forward reading the transcript of his press conference and seeing how Japanese media will (deliberately) miss the salient points.

Once again, I wonder what changed in Ghosns strategy, of if the long game fight was all a fake?

When global bankers started cooperating with prosecutors, IMHO, he knew his game of lies and deception is up. Time for plan B.

Have to admit, the Japanese law enforcement is no match for his cunning methods.

All the key details about the escape are now out. I'm a little sad that no more are to come.

I had imagined that he would be driven to Kansai - the thought of one of Japan's most famous men jumping on the shinkansen in Tokyo is hilarious. And I'm glad there is a bit of hiding in a music cases after all.

All very exciting stuff. Must have time and a whole lot of money to do it right.

One thing is certain. Ghosn is now finished as a global executive.

Exactly. A mere week ago he had the world at his feet and a promising career ahead of him and now he's blown it.

More details emerge on Ghosn's escape from Japan

Who cares? He's out.

Ghosn has said he will give his own account at a hotly awaited press conference in Beirut on Wednesday.

THAT'S the real news here. I can't wait to hear what he has to say.

The world is a joke, law is a joke, justice is a joke. How many days already, the criminals are still free.

The guy is gone, that's it. Let it be. White collar crime pays and pays very well, no reason to punish the rest of us in Japan moving forward.

One thing is certain. Ghosn is now finished as a global executive.

I'm sure that at 65 and with the amount of money that Ghosn has. He's going to be enjoying his retirement in Lebanon or France.

One thing is certain. Ghosn is now finished as a global executive.

I wonder how much it cost him to charter those two planes and the private mercenary company to execute the plan?

wow they had been planning this for a long time.

Once again, I wonder what changed in Ghosns strategy, of if the long game fight was all a fake?

Great! Now does that mean the rest of us aren't going to be able to escape?

The Keystones really have egg on their face here! 24 hour surveillance? What a joke!

Not only my self will be waiting to hear what CG has to say, but the J police, prosecutors, security officials, government, media, will be as well.

Incredible.