Japan has asked Lebanon to extradite Carlos Ghosn, Nissan Chairman, if it wants to save its economy with International Monetary Fund bailout.
Lebanese Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, who is reportedly seeking about $10 billion bailout to help his country’s economic crisis, is faced with a condition to extradite Ghosn to Japan for legal actions.
Ghosn, 66, as Nissan former chief in Japan for 17 years, was alleged of financial irregularities and has since then fled the country to his home country, Lebanon.
He was said to have been smuggled in a musical instrument box in his daring escape from Japan.
He however denied the allegation claiming he is innocent and that he had escaped from Japan in order to avoid injustice and political persecution.
According to Nissan’s lawyer, Sakher El Hachem, releasing Ghosn for trial has become a prerequisite for Lebanon to be granted the bailout if it wants to get out of its current financial challenges.
“For Japan to agree on that, they want the Lebanese authorities to extradite Ghosn, otherwise, they won’t provide Lebanon with financial assistance.
“Japan is one of the IMF’s major contributors … if Japan vetoes Lebanon, then the IMF won’t give Lebanon money except after deporting Ghosn,” he said.
Considering the fact that Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan, Ghosn is free in Lebanon.
The government, however, imposed a travel ban on him after a red notice request for his arrest was issued by Interpol in January following Japan’s issuance of warrant arrest for Ghosn.
It is hoped that Lebanon would get the IMF bailout if the condition currently stipulated is met by the government.
It will also unlock a huge some of $11 billion aid pledged at CEDRE conference in 2018.
Regarding Ghosn’s case, there is no any legal procedure going on now in Lebanon due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
Speaking about the status of the case before the pandemic, El Hachem said, “The last legal procedure that we were handling in the case was to evacuate his Al Achrafieh property and hand it over to our client (Nissan).
“Then COVID-19 struck and halted all legal procedures although a ruling was expected in that case.”
Carlos Ghosn is a Lebanese businessman who headed Nissan for 17 years. He has Lebanese, French and Brazilian passports. He is reportedly in talks with Brazilian Embassy in Beirut over his state.
