Ghosn’s lead defence lawyer resigns, no reason given
TWO lawyers defending former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn on charges of financial misconduct quit suddenly on Wednesday, the latest shock twist in a case that has gripped Japan and the business world.
There was no immediate explanation as to why the attorneys, who include lead lawyer Motonari Otsuru, were leaving Ghosn’s defence team. Contacted by AFP, the firm declined to comment.
A brief statement said only that “today Otsuru and [Masato] Oshikubo submitted letters of resignation to the court as the defence lawyers for the case of Mr Ghosn”.
New man for the job
The surprise decision came on the eve of an expected first meeting between the Tokyo District Court, prosecutors, and defence lawyers to discuss the outlines of Ghosn’s trial.
Hot-shot lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, 73, confirmed that he had been asked to join the legal team.
Hironaka is a veteran and celebrated defence lawyer, known for taking on tough and high-profile cases and securing not-guilty verdicts in a country where prosecutors win nearly 99 per cent of cases that come to trial.
Among his achievements, Hironaka was involved in the successful defence in 2012 of influential politician Ichiro Ozawa, a shrewd election strategist accused of playing a role in misreporting political funds.
Speaking outside his office, he told reporters: “I met with Mr Ghosn and I met with his family and they said they want me to take the case. So I accepted.”