Foreign
JAPAN has asked the U.S. to extradite two Americans accused of helping ousted Nissan Motor Chairman, Carlos Ghosn, to jump bail and flee the country in late December for Lebanon, local media reported on Friday.
Kyodo News reported that “Tokyo’s request is based on a bilateral extradition treaty as prosecutors have asked Washington to hand over former Green Beret Michael Taylor and his son Peter Taylor.”
The two were arrested in Massachusetts in May over alleged role in the escape of Ghosn, who was awaiting trial on financial misconduct charges in Japan.
Kyodo News quoted the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors’ Office as saying “we express our appreciation to U.S. authorities for their cooperation.
“We will do our best in cooperating with them so that handover procedures will swiftly move ahead.”
The Justice Minister, Masako Mori, told newsmen that her ministry would also work with Washington for prompt extradition of the Taylors.
She said “the U.S. authorities confirmed Tokyo’s request in documents submitted to a federal court in Massachusetts.”
Ghosn, the former head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance, has been charged with breach of trust and falsifying financial documents to understate his income.
He, however, denied the allegations, saying he fled “injustice and persecution” in Japan.
Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.
NAN
– July 03, 2020 @ 14:20 GMT
Tags: Japan asks U.S. to extradite 2 men accused of aiding Ghosn’s escape
