Nissan ex-chair Ghosn steps out in Tokyo, trailed by media
Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn was seen walking in a Tokyo park on Friday, two days after his release from a Japanese detention center.
Ghosn, in a cap and sunglasses, was spotted outdoors twice on Friday, strolling outside in the crisp March air. He and several others, believed to be his wife and daughters, visited a downtown Tokyo garden as members of the media trailed them and watched, AP reported.
The intense media attention was what led Ghosn’s lawyers to suggest he leave the Tokyo Detention Center after his release on bail Wednesday in a laborer’s outfit of cap, surgical mask and high-visibility vest, attorney Takashi Takano said.
Many were baffled by the somewhat transparent disguise, which has riveted Japanese tabloid media. One TV show reenacted his departure.
Takano said in a blog post that he took full responsibility for what he called the “theater of disguise.” He apologized for its failure.
The outfit was confusing but didn’t deter media from tracking the small van he traveled in after his release, in a spectacle broadcast live on television.
“My immature plan, as a result, has tarnished the reputation that he has devoted his whole life to build,” Takano said of his client.
Takano asked the media to respect Ghosn’s privacy. That plea appeared to go unheeded as cameramen closely followed the celebrity executive as those walking with him stared straight ahead in apparent annoyance.