The embattled former Nissan chief, who could remain in a Tokyo jail for months, says his actions were approved by other executives and directors.
TOKYO — Carlos Ghosn and his lawyers are laying out the most comprehensive case yet for his innocence, nearly two months after his arrest shook the auto business and tarnished the reputation of an industry titan.
Still, it may not be enough to free him from jail for months, as prosecutors try to build a case against the ousted Nissan Motor chairman and onetime leader of an automaking juggernaut that builds more than 10 million cars annually.
Mr. Ghosn’s chief defense lawyer in Japan said on Tuesday that prosecutors had no basis for holding him in jail on allegations that he improperly transferred personal losses to Nissan’s books, saying that board members had approved the transactions.
Late Tuesday, that lawyer, Motonari Otsuru, submitted a request to the court to release Mr. Ghosn from detention on the grounds that Nissan did not ultimately bear any losses and that he was not a flight risk.
The moves came hours after Mr. Ghosn appeared in court on Tuesday, his first public appearance since his arrest on Nov. 19. Mr. Ghosn, 64, fought back against the allegations, which include charges that he failed to report his full compensation from Nissan in filings with regulators. He declared that he had “acted honorably, legally, and with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate executives inside the company.”
The defense sets the stage for what could be a lengthy legal battle between Mr. Ghosn and Japanese prosecutors. And Mr. Ghosn may remain in custody for months. Mr. Otsuru, a former prosecutor, said it was possible Mr. Ghosn could spend up to six more months in jail, as it was typical for Japanese courts to detain suspects until the start of their trials.
“There are documents that have to be investigated in both Japanese and English, which will take time,” Mr. Otsuru said. “Six months will be needed before being able to go to trial.”
Mr. Ghosn has been in jail since his November arrest, throwing into turmoil a vast alliance between Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors of Japan and Renault of France.
