Carlos Ghosn's detention not extended; Tokyo court may soon release him

A Tokyo court said on Thursday it decided not to extend the detention of Nissan Motor Co Ltd's ousted chairman, Carlos Ghosn, meaning he may soon be released from jail where he has been confined since his arrest for alleged financial misconduct.

The Tokyo District Court also decided to not extend detention for Greg Kelly, a former Nissan executive who was arrested along with Ghosn on Nov. 19. Lawyers for both men were not immediately available for comment.

Ghosn has been indicted for allegedly understating his income over a five-year period from 2010. He was re-arrested on Dec. 10 for the same alleged crime covering the past three years. The 10-day detention period for the second crime ran out on Thursday.

The court had widely been expected to extend their detention, as granting bail to suspects who insist on their innocence is unusual in Japan.

Public broadcaster NHK said Ghosn could be released on Thursday or Friday, if any appeal by prosecutors is rejected by the court and bail is granted.

It was not immediately clear how much the bail would be, meaning it was still unclear whether Ghosn's release was possible.