Japan Today
crime

Japanese media blasts 'cowardly' Ghosn after escape

97 Comments
By Ludovic Marin

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2020 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

97 Comments
Login to comment

He outsmarted them so they're obviously extremely bitter about it.

51 ( +59 / -8 )

What else would you expect the media or any senior government / corporate officials to say? Congratulations? Job well done?

39 ( +43 / -4 )

Outsmarted? With the amount of money this guy has, "he outsmart's" pretty anybody...

5 ( +13 / -8 )

There is a high probability that the trial will not be held, and his argument that he wants to prove his innocence is now in question."

Ghosn does not have to prove his innocence. Under the Japanese constitution and CCP (criminal code of practice) a person is innocent until proven guilty.

"Running away is a cowardly act that mocks Japan's justice system," 

The only cowards are Japanese prosecutors, and weak, scared, little rubber stamping Japanese judges. (Who ever heard of bail conditions that forbids a person contacting their spouse)?

The Japanese legal system has made a mockery of itself ... and it's news all over the world.

As for the high probability of no trail, what's Japan whinging about. Japan gets to keep the exhorberant bail / bond money from Ghosn.

49 ( +60 / -11 )

The Japanese prosecutors thought that they were very clever by luring Ghosn and Kelly under false pretenses.

Well, it looks like other people can play tricks too... and more cleverly.

The Japanese have been left with egg on their faces this time.

Play with fire and you just might get burned.

44 ( +51 / -7 )

So the offical line, narrative is, he is cowardly for escaping the clutches of a justice system that has a 99% conviction rate? You are detained questioned without legal representation repeatedly then they try to gather evidence so you are held for an indeterminate time while the prosecutors turn your life upside down to find evidence of wrong doing? Arrested on a secret internal report from Nissan that is dubious as the executives who made it cut a deal and got off Scott free. There is nothing cowardly about getting away from a lop sided legal system hell bent on a conviction no matter what. Logic and fairness don't come in to it justice is what the prosecutors need it to be not what it actually is.

39 ( +46 / -7 )

The Japanese prosecutors thought that they were very clever by luring Ghosn and Kelly under false pretenses.

Well, it looks like other people can play tricks too... and more cleverly.

The Japanese have been left with egg on their faces this time.

Play with fire and you just might get burned.

A Pearl Harbour tactic by the prosecutor s. Well obviously Japan never learn.

14 ( +24 / -10 )

"Cowardly?!?!" Pretty strong word to describe a man who was facing an unjust prosecution by prosecutors who were working in collusion to send the man to jail.

I wonder just how many writers would do the same thing, if faced with the same or similar situation? Oh right, they are Japanese so they all would be meek and law abiding.....yeah right!

39 ( +46 / -7 )

Just admit stupidity, and move on.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Easy to see how he escaped. A little makeup here and there and he became the spitting image of Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean).

13 ( +19 / -6 )

The usually staid Japanese media lambasted the "cowardly" Carlos Ghosn on 

"Running away is a cowardly act that mocks Japan's justice system," said the Yomiuri Shimbun

By leaving the country, Ghosn has "lost the opportunity to prove his innocence and vindicate his honor," the paper added, 

I'm sure Ghosn won't lose sleep over the media lynching. The whole Japanese judicial system, in the eyes of most foreigners, is not credible and may fit well in the medieval inquisitions period, not in today's world.

After his term in the dungeons and punitive bail terms, I'm sure Ghosn had lost any love and respect for Japan and its systems. The media is free to label him anything they choose while he's savoring some levantine baba ganouj and falafels ...watching it all on TV a free man.

I'd think not many of us would want to subject ourselves to an unjust and Flinton-esque judicial system, which we have no trust or confidence in. Mr.Ghosn, a corporate decision maker, used his prerogative and brought to light that hell hath no fury like some country mocked of. They have his bail money, Nissan should sort out its mess in the usual japanese style of bows and apologies, given that the pesky foreigner is not there and the judiciary..... Well, well, well.. they can blame-shift till the cows come home.

17 ( +21 / -4 )

Isn't it more cowardly to never speak up or to never rebel against the sytem.

22 ( +25 / -3 )

Japan Inc. has been utterly and completely embarrassed!! They have completely lost face!!

They thought they were so clever in scheming to arrest Ghosn to prevent the merger with Renault. They thought they could show Ghosn and all of those uppity foreigners just who runs Japan. And that they could ruin his life and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Then, of course, pressure was brought to bear and a very bright spotlight started being shone on the travesty that is Japan's justice system. So, eventually, they decided to throw him a bone and grant him bail. But, of course, just to prove who was boss, they wouldn't let him see his wife, etc. etc.

And, of course, made sure there was nothing he could do to really prepare for his trial. Which they pushed out until this year, clearly trying to wear him down.

All to set him up for a show trial, where the verdict would be already decided before anything even happened in court. And then they would announce that Ghosn, that despicable Japan-destroying foreigner, was getting the justice he deserved.

And then Ghosn goes and shows the world that not only is Japan's justice system inhumane and a travesty, but that the Japanese authorities are incompetent as well!!

They have been embarrassed beyond all belief and this embarrassment extends to the media.

And trust me when I say that the Japanese media covering this had the knives out for Ghosn, so they feel that he has embarrassed them to.

Basically what they are saying is "ware ware Nihonjin have been completely embarrassed by Ghosn"!!

I think Ghosn was corrupt, but this was about much more than that for the Japan Inc. and I derive deep satisfaction that they have been so thoroughly embarrassed by this farce!!

27 ( +32 / -5 )

FYI to the Japan Today crowd: A person who frequently comments here (under multiple names) has a Twitter account, and my goodness is he all kinds of furious at Carlos Ghosn and how his leaving from Japan is being depicted in the English language media. His complaints will be familiar to anybody who reads comments threads on Japan Today: https://twitter.com/bull_japanese?lang=en

15 ( +18 / -3 )

The liberal Tokyo Shimbun also said Ghosn's actions had made a mockery of the Japanese justice system.

It is certainly deserving of mockery.

19 ( +23 / -4 )

As far as I can tell Gohsn's alleged crime was no worse than what just about every high profile executive has done in Japan. Many of them are corrupt. So why was he targeted? Was it at the behest of those jealous of the foreigner's success in turning around an iconic Japanese company where they had failed?

As usual, there must be more to this story than meets the eye.

18 ( +21 / -3 )

"This has ruined the prosecutors' painstaking work" of collecting evidence in Japan and abroad against him.

No, not at all, this is just PR! If they want they could very well go on with the trial, in abstentia, and if their "evidence" is so strong, put the case out there for the world to see!

My feeling is that the case isn't strong enough to do it and without collusion with Nissan they would have had to have him testify

20 ( +23 / -3 )

Japan Inc. has been utterly and completely embarrassed!! 

No, not Japan Inc. The Japanese justice system, police, and Foreign Ministry are embarrassed at this.

Different groups, supposedly working together, yet failing to do their due diligence.

12 ( +16 / -4 )

The only cowards in this case are A)The prosecutors, and B) The Judges.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

The news conference on the 8th will be interesting.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

No, not Japan Inc. The Japanese justice system, police, and Foreign Ministry are embarrassed at this.

No, it is more than just the Japanese government / bureaucrats. It is the Japanese established business community as well. This was a coordinated takedown between the business world and the government.

Trust me, when they hold the New Year's drinks at Keidanren, there are going to be a lot of business executives who will feel like Ghosn has embarrassed Japan!!

14 ( +15 / -1 )

"Running away is a cowardly act that mocks Japan's justice system," said the Yomiuri Shimbun,

Tokyo Shimbun also said Ghosn's actions had made a mockery of the Japanese justice system.

The center-left Mainichi Shimbun quoted a senior prosecutor as saying: "This has ruined the prosecutors' painstaking work" of collecting evidence in Japan and abroad against him.

The Asahi Shimbun also quoted a former Nissan executive voicing his disappointment at Ghosn's actions.

"The entrepreneur who ran Nissan for so many years and was well-known internationally turns out to be this kind of person. My jaw hit the floor. I can't find the words to express myself

All these media even don't try to highlight 21 days multiple detention time that already exist in for decades that occasionally lead to forced confession.

Also they should now Ghosn is not same like other Japanese execs when it comes to similar scandal, so people can understand that he is not expecting fair trial in the beginning.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Trust me, when they hold the New Year's drinks at Keidanren, there are going to be a lot of business executives who will feel like Ghosn has embarrassed Japan!!

While they don't embarrassed with their peers from Japan Post and Kansai Electric that shamelessly new scandal in 2019.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

The word "courageous" can never be found applicable to Japanese media which specialize in groupthink and function as a soporific for the masses in order to cement social stability and safeguard the interests of the ruling elite. "Cowardly" is always the favorite mantra of cowards themselves safely hiding in the woodwork, ensconced in their positions of power.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

Trust me, when they hold the New Year's drinks at Keidanren, there are going to be a lot of business executives who will feel like Ghosn has embarrassed Japan!!

Trust me, there is a difference, and the business community will do it's best to distance themselves from this incident.

No, it is more than just the Japanese government / bureaucrats. It is the Japanese established business community as well. This was a coordinated takedown between the business world and the government.

It is not "more" than the government, the escape is a black eye on the very people who were charged with ensuring he followed the conditions of his bail. And for the Foreign Ministry and officials charged with airline security to allow someone, anyone, to leave the country like he did!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Why wasn’t Saikawa charged, arrested and confined whilst being questioned day after day?

Ghosn is gone (sic) and I will definitely be buying the book!

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Ghosn can't escape the fact that he is now a fugitive. Stuck in one country, unable to ever reclaim his status in the corporate sphere, his actions have condemned his image and reputation to one as an overly entitled man, obsessed with material worth, with about the same legitimacy to freedom as a South American drug lord. He has never understood what he did wrong, which was to ignore his governance responsibilities as a CEO of a Japanese corporation, he thinks money should grant him greater leniency under the law, and and he thinks a legal system that did not grant him leniency because of his position and wealth to be unjust.

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

By leaving the country, Ghosn has "lost the opportunity to prove his innocence and vindicate his honor," the paper added, noting that the court, his defense lawyers and immigration control officials also bore some blame

He outsmarted Japan. He has the brains to save Nissan, gets stabbed, but leaves Japan right under their noses.

18 ( +19 / -1 )

At least they are all in agreement that this has made a mockery of the Japanese criminal justice system. Unfortunately they are ignoring how everything that happened from his arrest onward had already made a mockery of that.

I’m a bit torn on this. On the one hand, I agree with Ghosn saying the system was rigged against him and every word of bad press it gets is well deserved.

On the other hand, it seems he probably is guilty of at least some of the acts he has been accused of. His argument that “Japan’s justice system is rigged against me, so I’m going to Lebanon to subject myself to one that is rigged in my favor (and which has nothing to do with acts committed in Japan)” doesn’t sway me much. This is basically a rich guy seeking rich guy justice (ie a system he can buy off) which isn’t fair either.

Plus him running away will probably make Japan’s system even worse than it was. For starters it quashes the discussion in Japan about how bad the hostage justice system is and has instead turned it into one about how cowardly Ghosn was, as the article demonstrates. Second, Japanese courts are probably going to be even more reluctant (ie 100% no) to give bail to foreigners, so he is kind of screwing everyone else over, basically for selfish reasons.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Hahaha, predictable warblings from the Gov't sanctioned press.

One thing we know...there won't be review of the system that caused a potentially innocent man to flee. There will be a double down on current practices.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

So a terrible , out dated, backward, and inhumane justice system run by ignorant blind folded fools is being exposed once again for its archaic method and injustice.

Ghosen knew no matter what he was getting screwed, while the Japanese like Saikawa and others who should also have been sitting in court and in jail with him were let off, the whole thing reaks of a shame, a setup, bias and a load of Shite.

We now have to ask what will happen to the co accused Kelly ?

Any foreigner who is now coming infront of the courts or the prosecuters will expect no leniency in bail terms or conditions after this either. The fools in charge will be looking to make everyone and example for ghosen giving them the slip.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

"Running away is a cowardly act that mocks Japan's justice system," said the Yomiuri Shimbun

Well, the ultra right wing Yomiuri, voice of the LDP should know about cowardice and mocking Japan's justice system. Interesting to see people point at themselves when they blame others, isn't it.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

This is sooo stupid.

The Japanese certainly knew something about this. It took months of planning and no one can tell me no one on the inside knew anything about it.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

He's not a coward....in a nutshell he outsmarted Japan!!!

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Once I jokingly said Carlos Ghosn, with his wealth, would be able to pull a Houdini and he did! Looking forward to the Netflix documentary...too bad it won´t be shown in Japan... lol....

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Ghosn thinks running away is not a cowardly act in the first place. He just doesn't want to be convicted there. He may have to be always running for free rest of his life as long as he is a fugitive. If he entered US and its territories, he may be arrested as Japan and US have extradition treaty.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

I think the Japanese justice system is what is cowardly.

What kind of system seeks to destroy people before giving them a fair trial? Ghosn was totally ambushed by the Japanese system, seemingly having its strings pulled by certain execs at Nissan.

This is what the Japanese authorities should be embarrassed about.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Japanese media is biased by nature. Just before the New Year they ran a piece about events of 2019 and Ghosn came up and instead of talking about how one sided and unfair his case was being treated they ran with the silly piece of how he dressed in construction like uniform when leaving the police station. Who’s laughing now?

9 ( +12 / -3 )

All of you are blind and attacking a wrong target unnoticing the true target. It is Abe who did not want Nissan absorbed by Renault.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I'm not angry about Ghosn escaping even of he is guilty. The system brought that on itself through it's treatment of him. It is however, a betrayal of his legal team who worked hard to pull the impossible and get him freed on bail. Something even Japanese have a hard time getting. No doubt his lawyer has lost face now and regrets even taking this case. He also set back the discussion about improving Japan's legal system. He has proven the processcutors right to keep him detained and has strengthened the argument of the anti-reformers. He was fighting the good fight and should have stuck it out. In leaving, he has done more harm than good to any hopes of legal reform.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

The ‘national media’ is nothing but a mouthpiece of the government. It’s an embarrassment.

Any respectable media institution would be investigating the seemingly high levels of corruption in Japnese government and big business, and the ridiculous statistic that the criminal justice system has a 99% conviction rate.

Any media institution that doesn’t ask the difficult questions, or stays away from delicate issues for whatever reason is a complete waste of space.

I can completely understand why Ghosn has fled the country - and at the same time I can also understand that fleeing was wrong. Will any media institution be big enough to seriously investigate both sides of the story, or will they just continue to default to the government’s point of view?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Illegal escape, fake passport, no record of departure,,,,etc seem not good persuasion of his excuses at all. I wonder how many more wrongdoings he committed to run away to Lebanon. He should fight in court whatever even if it takes years. He may be acquitted years later. He is now labeled name of fugitive forever.

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

j media sucks

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Ghosn has "lost the opportunity to prove his innocence and vindicate his honor,"

I am pretty sure that went out the window the moment where the entire Nissan upper brass was shown to lie on their taxes and received improper bonuses; however, only Ghosn and Kelly were arrested. Furthermore, Kelly was the only one shown to have no real part in the entire thing. Saikawa was guilty of cheating his taxes, receiving improper benefits, and had knowledge of Ghosn but was only asked to resign.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Ex-Res is incorrect about innocent until proven guilty. In reality the Japanese justice system works in the opposite way. This is internationally recognised. He had little chance of proving innocence within the Japanese legal system, so he probably felt he had little choice. I’m not saying he was right to flee - I think he was being pragmatic.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Screw them. They wanted a convenient gaijin scapegoat and Ghosn was not willing to be one. Time to really shine some foreign light on their bull and show the world how shady and underhanded they really can be, especially when it comes to dealing with foreigners. Can't wait for this to fully play out!

13 ( +15 / -2 )

While they don't embarrassed with their peers from Japan Post and Kansai Electric that shamelessly new scandal in 2019.

@sakurasuki, exactly!!!

4 ( +7 / -3 )

He was facing almost certain conviction and spending the rest of his life in jail. No brainer to at least try this! I am sure they will try all means to get him back but Lebanon and Japan have no extradition treaty and he has a fortune of about $200m or so . Money like that can buy a lot of aggressive lawyering..just ask Donald Trump!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Let me point out a few things. It is improper for Japanese media to complain about the so-called hostage justice. The current criminal procedure was duly legislated into law in accordance to legislative procedure. Thus, no wrong can be ascribed to the Japanese prosecutors UNLESS they exceed their own law on the matter or it is manifest they had made a substantive mistake OR abused their authority.

Second, the correctness of using every legal and discretionary measure to keep Ghosn properly detained has been proven correct by events. Bail under any condition is premised on the accused not running, and since Ghosn has done so, he is clearly in the wrong.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

It is improper for Japanese media to complain about the so-called hostage justice. The current criminal procedure was duly legislated into law in accordance to legislative procedure. Thus, no wrong can be ascribed to the Japanese prosecutors

You can say that hostage justice it's legal but doesn't mean it's right. That practice is not acceptable in developed and democratic country.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

His legal team might even have got him off. They looked tough and uncompromising, and I respected his lawyer. There are still some good people in all of this, even if they will forced to take the blame. "Seppuku!"

4 ( +5 / -1 )

re article: By leaving the country, Ghosn has "lost the opportunity to prove his innocence and vindicate his honor," the paper added, noting that the court, his defense lawyers and immigration control officials also bore some blame in the affair.

He if I knew I was going to get an unfair trial as the majority of posters have written, why not. Surely the TEPCO executives were set free and not arrested for knowingly killing many locals despite the available data that the prosecutors seemingly didn't have? hmmm. GHOSN was getting a bad rap in Japan that is clearly visible. If the case is so strong why not continue, but no they were going to skin him alive. He could not reach out to Nissan employees fairly so already this was one-sided, but if it was a Japanese local doubt it get this far and a simply bow and sorry. end of story.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Ghosn have run away because he thought he would be convicted of wrongdoings he done. Japanese prosecutors detention and interrogation are generally very terrible but trial is as normal as other countries. Many days detention and arrogation are completely done. He stood these. His trial was supposed to be held soon. He should fight in court, he may be acquitted years later, because he has a good lawyer and supporters. It seems to me Ghosn ruined high chance of win before the trial.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

So they finally admit it - in Japan you really have to prove your innocence. No more argument there.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

since the beginning, this was always a game between Japan and the “Japanese” Nissan and the internationalization of Nissan, pretty much Japanese vs non-Japanese, so the way Japanese media is treating him is not surprising at all...

11 ( +11 / -0 )

He should have let the justice process play out.

Yeah, he should have just let them sentence him to years in prison - for what?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Money talks.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Mainichi: By jumping bail, fugitive Ghosn burns bridges to Japan

No problem.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

"Running away is a cowardly act that mocks Japan's justice system,"

Beg to differ, this joke of a "justice system" mocks itself quite well on its own.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Japanese prosecutors detention and interrogation are generally very terrible but trial is as normal as other countries.

Trial might be normal but prosecutors in Japan have more than defense team, while waiting trial to start until finish, suspect will stay in detention with limited access to their defense team.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Running away is a cowardly act that mocks Japan's justice system," said the Yomiuri Shimbun

So is luring a foreign national and well respected businessman, to Japan under an umbrella of lies.

The Japanese justice system is a joke, as is the Japanese media!

11 ( +13 / -2 )

@sakurasuki

In relation to another case reported here in September, where a man is accused of deliberately bumping into a woman using a smartphone, you wrote this:

Now it's time law to teach you some manners.

Care to explain why you think Carlos was justified in fleeing Japanese 'hostage justice' and 'kangaroo courts' but this man needs to face the same system? I don't mean to pick on you personally because I know I could find similar comments from all others posting here.

Ultimately, everyone supporting Ghosn's escape is an unprincipled hypocrite. They will rail against the unfairness of the justice system in cases where they sympathise with a suspect or think he might be innocent, but they will unflinchingly call for those who they don't sympathise with or who have harmed them or their families personally, to face the exact same system. Would they cheer for a shoplifter, or a train groper, or a child molester, or a phone scammer, or the Kyoto arsonist if they were to flee Japanese justice on a private jet? I think not.

That said, everyone acknowledges that no justice system is perfect, but there are democratic mechanism for changing this if the Japanese people wish to do so. As a foreign guest in this country, Carlos consented to being subject to Japanese law, including the law of criminal procedure. As a corporate director, he voluntarily consented to a whole set of additional duties, law and possible criminal investigations that the average person need not worry about. He was a sophisticated individual who was not naive about the additional responsibility and risk he was taking on by doing business in a foreign country. He made his own bed but now he refuses to lie in it. I don't know if this is cowardly, but it's certainly dishonourable and shameful in my opinion.

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

Fleeing North Korea is right but fleeing Japan is wrong?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

it is said there are many wrongdoings Ghosn did. I don't know how many totally. At least one of them seem he might have done intentionally. He may be guilty about it. but he will not be in jail for many years. Matter is whether he pays a lot of penalty money or he takes years of jail. He would pay billions of money and be in prison for 6 months in good room with nice bed, tv set and fridge and be free to go home soon. It depends on negotiation.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Why not an absentia trial ?

Wy no objective review of current legal system ?

In my democratic developed country, they do that.

Also, defense lawyers have nothing to do and by justice definition cannot be blamed. They represent their client with a role to play, they don't vouch for him personally...except in biased countries (I do work with lawyers all year long).

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Care to explain why you think Carlos was justified in fleeing Japanese 'hostage justice' and 'kangaroo courts' but this man needs to face the same system?

For low level case like where physical violence involved and there are plenty evidence usually law in Japan will act indiscriminately. When they have high profile especially like corporate scandal, what happened to Ghosn is really different compared to other Japanese companies. Even in Japan Post scandal that happened in 2019, vice minister at the ministry resigned from his post since he leaking a draft penalty to Yasuo Suzuki, one of Japan Post executives. Why he can do that, because he is still free, it's already few months since that scandal being unfolded. So he can do whatever that includes disposing evidence. In contract compare to Ghosn in being detained in the first place. There are plenty Japanese corporate scandals/fraud beside Japan Post, like Kansai Electric, Tepco, Olympus, Toshiba etc. You can check how how those scandals being unfolded.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Mainichi: By jumping bail, fugitive Ghosn burns bridges to Japan

Japan already burn bridges when they treat him unlike other Japanese corporate executives that involved in scandals. Being detained right away? How many Japanese corporate executives being treated like that in recent years? Even when their scandals are being covered by the news.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Best thing ever happened, Japan has an unfair Justice system.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Good for Ghosn. He would never have received a fair trial. The Japanese media have a lot to say now but where were they when Ghosn was denied bail and rearrested with this case dragging on for so long?

Ghosn has "lost the opportunity to prove his innocence and vindicate his honor," 

??!! You didn't give a xxxx about his innocence and honor when you banged him up inside for so long without trial! Ghosn received not an ounce of 'innocence' from the Japanese prosecution system.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

RizdownToday 07:14 am JST

The Japanese prosecutors thought that they were very clever by luring Ghosn and Kelly under false pretenses.

Well, it looks like other people can play tricks too... and more cleverly.

The Japanese have been left with egg on their faces this time.

Play with fire and you just might get burned.

A Pearl Harbour tactic by the prosecutor s. Well obviously Japan never learn.

That's it the Japanese haven't learnt from past history

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@sakurasuki

For low level case like where physical violence involved and there are plenty evidence usually law in Japan will act indiscriminately.

What is a low level case? What is plenty of evidence? How do you know there is not plenty of evidence implicating Ghosn given that the people we employ to make these decisions on our behalf (judges) clearly thought there was enough to hold him and impose strict bail conditions?

Of course Ghosn was treated differently than most Japanese suspects, just as a Japanese suspect would be treated differently abroad. Anyone with 3 passports, multiple overseas properties, and their financial and personal life based primarily abroad would be considered a substantial flight risk in every legal system. This is why he was initially detained and bail conditions were imposed. Every legal system discriminates against people with foreign connections in a similar way.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Ghosn certainly knew he'd have the world public opinion on his side, and not surprised at all the rabid support he has on this website.

Anytime a foreigner is charged or is accused of something in Japan, always bring up the "Japanese justice system is corrupt/racist against foreigners" card, and everyone eagerly embraces that.

It's similar to the case of the Nigerian detainee who died during a hunger strike. I pretty much shredded the argument that his death was the result of a 'xenophobic' and 'unjust' Japanese justice system, when in fact the Nigerian himself refused to be extradited back to Nigeria, and was a multiple offender in Japan.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

99% conviction rate + unprecedented harsh treatment for alleged financial misconduct before trial.

Nissan and Japanese Justice System crested these circumstances and Ghosn played the only card he was dealt

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Of course Ghosn was treated differently than most Japanese suspects, just as a Japanese suspect would be treated differently abroad. Anyone with 3 passports, multiple overseas properties, and their financial and personal life based primarily abroad would be considered a substantial flight risk in every legal system. This is why he was initially detained and bail conditions were imposed. 

While he was being detained with minimum way to communicate to outside world, information about his case especially those that can be used against him were being leaked. So by the time he got verdict it's easy for public to accept he is guilty without care what the actual fact. In comparison with Yasuo Suzuki from Japan Post he can do whatever he want to.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Yeah, he should have shown "courage" to stay here while they lambast him and let people who did the same take the reigns, faced a kangaroo court, and not have been allowed not only to speak, but to communicate with his own family.

He was smart to leave, and the Japanese authorities were insanely stupid to allow him to escape, but hey, we read about it all the time here with domestic suspects.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

. @ oldman 13

I pretty much shredded the argument that his death was the result of a 'xenophobic' and 'unjust' Japanese justice system, when in fact the Nigerian himself refused to be extradited back to Nigeria, and was a multiple offender in Japan.

You really are full of it !!! to the brim !!!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I've never decided on whether Ghosn is guilty or not, as there isn't enough information. And frankly, I don't particularly care too much either - the guy is not one of us.

I have to respect the b*lls on him though, regardless.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I've never decided on whether Ghosn is guilty or not, as there isn't enough information.

Good point, cowardly is how Japan had treated this guy for such a long time because they had no idea what to do with him.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@M3M3M3

They are not hypocrites, because they don't think Ghosn is guilty. A thief most of the time admits what they did, and it's not something unbelievable, because it happens all the time, that's why people want to see the thief punished, even though they know he probably won't be. The case of Ghosn is different. People do not trust the judicial system knowing how utterly corrupt and backward it is, they don't trust the circumstances, and the whole case seems like a set up. The way Ghosn was treated, and the way the whole case have played out so far only reinforces the idea that the system is very rigged, and that Ghosn is unfairly accused. This has nothing to do with common law vs civil law. It has to do with a very rigged and backward judicial system that is based on guilty until proven guilty policy. There are countless books and documentaries written on this topic. Perhaps Ghosn did not know just how corrupt the legal system here is, perhaps if he did, he wouldn't have taken the job. Most Japanese people in my opinion do not trust their legal system either. Most people know how corrupt the system is, that's one of the reasons people don't trust the courts, and very rarely resort to courts to settle their disputes. They would rather take matters into their own hands, and resort to street justice, as we saw with the Kyoto arson. There is a reason for that. By the way, it is not an "anglo common law", the common law comes from Germany, and the US legal system is very, very, very different from the one in England.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

IloveCoffeeToday 07:30 pm JST

They are not hypocrites, because they don't think Ghosn is guilty.

I think this is a very hard position to defend now that three governments (US, France and Japan) are digging up dirt on Ghosn. The best one can really argue is that maybe it isn't quite criminal conviction grade proof, but it is enough to make him cut plea deals with the US and escape physically to Lebanon.

It has to do with a very rigged and backward judicial system that is based on guilty until proven guilty policy.

How is it particularly "backward"? Let's run down some of the accusations.

1) He was lured back. Oh gee, because people come back when they are told in advance they'll be arrested, right? Police have been using undercover buys and other ploys to get criminals for centuries.

2) The interrogation period was especially long: Well, it was what the Japanese people had decided was acceptable. There is a tradeoff between the length you can interrogate people and the amount of useful information you can get out of them.

3) He didn't have a lawyer: Boo-hoo, let's face it, people don't give out any useful information, and the interrogation becomes almost a sham or formality when the lawyer is around.

4) His detention was especially long, and the prosecutors lined up the charges to go off every time his detention ended to stretch it to over 100 days: In another country, to get that kind of period it won't be necessary to array them. In Germany for example they could simply have the judge agree to place in detention for 180 days on Charge 1 before choosing whether to indict him or not.

5) The prosecutors didn't turn over the evidence: What seems to be the issue here are several thousand E-mails. Ghosn and his lawyers wanted to go for a fishing expedition, and this was disallowed. Even American discovery laws don't favor fishing expeditions, and I think his Japanese lawyers know this is a low probability demand, but who cares ... the law of public opinion, overmanned by Anglo-Americans with weak legal training will be on their side...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This is the same Media that basically tried to convict Ghosen before a trial even, almost anybody in Ghosen's shoes would do the same exact thing if they could under the circumstances that the Japanese Media put Ghosen into. They can claim they were just stating facts, but the facts were mostly whatever the prosecution, Japanese Justice system and Nissan Japan said they were, there was little in the way of any investigative Journalism. Ghosen was already tried and convicted in the Main Stream within Japan, heck perhaps he really is guilty, who knows, but the way the press and the Justice System handled his case, there would never be a fair trial. Ghosen should write a book on this. After watching the Japanese Justice system and their treatment of foreign executives in Japan, they don't have a very good track record, I would imagine in the future it would be hard for any Japanese Corporation to get good qualified executives to work for them within Japan, too many risk involved. One only need look into the Olympus scandal for confirmation Foreign CEO's in the end become fall guys for the internal Corruption of the entire Corporation, and Olympus is not the only one.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan is member of an international community yet has old systems in place which it jealously keeps. It’s a new vs old battle in Japan; past vs future. I see more of these on the horizon. The old Edo era strongholds are facing 21st century millennial scrutiny. This kind of battle is bound to take place. Is Ghosn a fugitive of the law or a hero? History will tell.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

From the PM’s residence to the foreign media headed here this summer for the Olympics and Paralympics, I wonder how the Ghosn case will play out as a backdrop in the coming months. Japan is a respected member of the international community. We recently saw that it’s passport had great value around the world. I hope this Ghosn case doesn’t tarnish it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Article headline is completely bogus. I have read the Japanese language coverage in all the major Japanese newspapers. I have yet to see an article using terminology that would imply Ghosn was a coward.

Where I have seen Ghosn explicitly called a coward was in foreign English language stories.

If you can find any mainstream Japanese language media article describing Ghosn as a coward post the links here.

Everyone commenting on Japanese media coverage here is fully fluent in written Japanese, right?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@zones2surf Great post!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

kwatt

Many days detention and arrogation are completely done. He stood these. His trial was supposed to be held soon. 

If you call April, 2021 soon, sure.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

darknuts

No doubt his lawyer has lost face now and regrets even taking this case.

Sure. But his lawyer did no wrong, and any face he loses is the fault of those that blame him, even though he is blameless. That has nothing to do with Ghosn, who acted without his lawyer's knowledge. So, if you want to blame someone for his lawyer losing face? Blame those who hold his lawyer accountable.

He also set back the discussion about improving Japan's legal system.

I would say, that this discussion should increase now that it has been shown how unjust the the Japanese justice system is that someone needs to flee to justice.

He has proven the processcutors right to keep him detained and has strengthened the argument of the anti-reformers.

No, they haven't. This is such an easy case to prosecute because it involves financial crimes. In no other country would you be waiting until April, 2021 to bring a case against a defendant for such a crime. And do you know why it is taking so long??? It is because they are waiting for Ghosen or his family to crack and give a confession. They HAVE NO EVIDENCE. Or if they have, they don't have enough. Because if they had enough they wouldn't be waiting for a confession.

He was fighting the good fight and should have stuck it out. In leaving, he has done more harm than good to any hopes of legal reform.

Sure, but those aren't his fault, they are the fault of the Japanese legal system. He had a chance to escape it's injustice and took it. I would do the same.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

We have now reached the end-game. This court process is not over. It has simply moved to the court of public opinion. This is where Ghosn, perhaps singlehandedly with his new freedom to speak to the media, will become one of Japan’s greatest change agents. Ghosn will become the most vocal critic of Japan’s legal system. And with the Olympics just around the corner, Japan may do anything to avoid international condemnation. Ghosn has just checked Japan’s king.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

tiger_tanakaJan. 2 06:57 am JSTHe outsmarted them so they're obviously extremely bitter about it.

Nothing 'cowardly' about making such a daring escape, is there?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The word "courageous" can never be found applicable to Japanese media which specialize in groupthink and function as a soporific for the masses in order to cement social stability and safeguard the interests of the ruling elite. "Cowardly" is always the favorite mantra of cowards themselves safely hiding in the woodwork, ensconced in their positions of power.

Hit the mark, 100%

Japanese people live in fear and tremble at their media and government

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites