The lawyer for former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn on Monday announced that he would pursue a different defense strategy for his client, who is facing charges of financial misconduct.
Junichiro Hironaka, known in Japan as “the Razor” for his successful defense of several high-profile cases, said he was optimistic the ousted executive could win bail soon.
Hironaka last month replaced Ghosn’s previous defense lawyer. He told a media briefing that his team would not be limited to the strategy taken by his predecessor.
“I believe it’s possible he could be released in the near future,” Hironaka said. “As the new legal team we will be going forward with a new legal strategy.”
Ghosn, who has been held in custody at a detention center in Tokyo for over three months, hired Hironaka as his chief defense lawyer last month in an overhaul of his legal team as he fights financial misconduct charges in Japan. He has denied wrongdoing.
Since taking over Ghosn’s defense team, Hironaka has argued the allegations should have been resolved as an internal company matter without the involvement of prosecutors, and blasted the judicial system for keeping his client in jail.
Ghosn has been in custody since his initial arrest in late November over allegations that he under-reported his Nissan compensation for nearly a decade through 2018. He also has been charged with aggravated breach of trust.
Separately, Ghosn’s children have defended their father's love for Japan and denounced comments by the Japanese automaker's chief executive.
The statement from Caroline, Nadine, Maya and Anthony Ghosn, seen Monday by The Associated Press, said they grew up in Japan and Ghosn's contribution to Japan was well-known.
"We grew up in Japan and have countless precious memories there as a family, so it is extremely disappointing that a long-trusted co-worker of my father's would slander him by claiming falsely that my father does not love and respect Japan. Anyone who knows my father knows that is not true," the statement said.
The comments were in response to an interview with Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa in the current issue of a Japanese weekly magazine, Shukan Bunshun, although the family's statement does not mention Saikawa by name. The article quoted Saikawa as saying the allegations show Ghosn's lack of respect for Japan and the Japanese people.
