Former Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn arrives in Beirut, Lebanon

BEIRUT: Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who is awaiting trial in Japan, has arrived in Beirut, a close friend and local media reported Monday.

It was not clear how Ghosn, who is of Lebanese origins, left Japan where he is under surveillance and is expected to face trial in April 2020.

Ricardo Karam, a TV host and friend of Ghosn who interviewed him several times, told The Associated Press Ghosn arrived in Lebanon Monday morning. Karam offered no more details.

“He is home,” Karam told AP in a message. “It’s a big adventure.”

Karam declined to elaborate. Local media first reported Ghosn arrived in Lebanon but didn’t offer details.

Ghosn, 65, has been on bail in Tokyo since April and is facing charges of hiding income and financial misconduct, charges he has denied. He has been under strict bail conditions in Japan after he spent more than 120 days in detention.

One Lebanon-based paper, Al-Joumhouriya, said Ghosn arrived in Beirut from Turkey aboard a private jet. AP has not been able to confirm those details or how he was able to leave Tokyo.

A house known to belong to Ghosn in a Beirut neighborhood had security guards outside with two lights on Monday night, but no sign otherwise of anyone inside. The guards denied he was in, although one guard said he was in Lebanon.