With Professor Shigenori Matsui (Peter A. Allard School of Law, UBC, Director of Japanese Legal Studies)
Mr. Carlos Ghosn, CEO and chairperson of NISSAN, one of the largest automotive manufacturers in Japan, was arrested on November 19, 2018 for underreporting benefit payments issued from Nissan prior to 2015 in the financial report filled to the government. He was later prosecuted and once again rearrested, the second time for underreporting the benefit payments received after 2015. He was prosecuted for these additional charges and is now arrested once again for gross breach of trust by using company funds for personal use. As a result, Nissan fired him from his position as CEO and chairperson. He was also formerly the chairperson and CEO of Renault, chairperson of Mitsubishi Motors, making him one of the most powerful corporate executives, heading one of the largest automotive manufacturer alliances. What is going on? Is his detention and interrogation fair and civilized? What is the implication of his arrest and prosecution for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance? What would be the next step for the prosecutors, NISSAN, and Renault?