A Tokyo court has denied former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn's request to attend a board meeting, according to NHK, preventing a direct confrontation with executives he claims orchestrated a corporate coup. The decision follows Ghosn's release on $9 million bail in March 2019 after over 100 days in detention.
Ghosn's lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, confirmed the executive sought court approval to participate in Tuesday's board meeting as part of his bail conditions. The court's refusal means Ghosn will not have direct contact with Nissan directors since his November 2018 arrest, during which he faces charges of underreporting $82 million in compensation over nearly a decade.
The board meeting coincides with Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi's plans to establish a joint governance structure. Some Nissan stakeholders opposed Ghosn's push for deeper integration, including potential merger discussions. Despite his removal as chairman of all three companies, Ghosn remains on their boards pending shareholder approval for formal expulsion.
If granted, Ghosn's participation would have been limited to teleconference due to bail restrictions. His legal team planned further briefings to address the court's ruling, with Hironaka scheduled for another reporter briefing on Monday.
