Society

With Ghosn gone, Japan sets trial date for ex-Nissan executive left behind

Jul 31 (autoblog.com) - Former Nissan executive Greg Kelly, who was arrested in connection with the financial scandal of his ex-boss Carlos Ghosn, will soon face trial in a Tokyo court. Both cases had been in limbo after Ghosn fled to Lebanon.

Tokyo Deputy Chief Prosecutor Hiroshi Yamamoto said Thursday the trial of Kelly, an American, and Nissan Motor Co., a defendant in the same trial as a company, will start Sept. 15.

He said prosecutors had â€œa solid caseâ€ to back allegations Kelly was involved in Ghosnâ€™s alleged under-reporting of future compensation.

Ghosn has publicly denounced the allegations as groundless and accused Nissan officials of a conspiracy to oust him. He is living in Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

Kelly, who also says he is innocent, appeared in a pre-trial session Thursday. Such sessions are closed in Japan, and other details were not disclosed.

Itâ€™s unclear how Kelly and Nissanâ€™s combined trial will progress. While Kelly is asserting innocence, Nissan has acknowledged guilt, seeking to distance itself from Ghosn and Kelly.

Kelly, a lawyer, was arrested at the same time as Ghosn, in November 2018. He was released on bail about a month later, and has since lived in Japan.

Separately, Japan is seeking the extradition of two Americans, Michael Taylor and Peter Taylor, wanted on charges of smuggling Ghosn out of Japan in a big box. They are being held in a Massachusetts jail without bail.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.