Japan vows to improve border checks, bail after Ghosn flight

Japan's justice minister vowed Monday to strengthen border departure checks and review bail conditions after Nissan's former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, fled the country.

Masako Mori told reporters at a news conference the ministry has already acted to prevent a recurrence but declined to give details.

She was asked about reports that Ghosn had hidden in a box and that baggage checks at a regional airport might have been insufficient.

Ghosn skipped bail while awaiting trial on various financial misconduct allegations and later said from Lebanon that he did it to escape injustice.

Mori declined to say who might be held responsible for such a high-profile flight, stressing it was still under investigation.

She said Ghosn left illegally, denouncing it as an “unjustifiable" crime.

“Japan’s justice system allows investigating the facts while it ensures the individual basic human rights at the same time," Mori told reporters at the ministry.

“It is set with appropriate procedures and it is operated appropriately."

But she acknowledged the case was being looked at under an ongoing review of the nation's judicial system, including introducing electronic tethers to monitor those out on bail.

“We are aware of the criticisms,” Mori said, referring to human rights advocates' descriptions of Japan's legal system as “hostage justice.”

Ghosn and others say Japan's system takes too long and is inhumane. Ghosn was banned from meeting with his wife while out on bail. Preparing for his trial has taken about a year, and a date has not been set. Ghosn was detained, twice, for a total of 130 days before he was released on bail a second time.

Source: USNEWS