Ghosn 'had second French passport' says source

Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, who fled to Lebanon to avoid a Japanese trial, had a second French passport, a source said Thursday, as authorities raided his Tokyo residence as part of a probe into the embarrassing security lapse.

Ghosn, who faced multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, won bail in April but with strict conditions -- including a ban on overseas travel.

His lead lawyer Junichiro Hironaka has said lawyers hold three passports belonging to the international tycoon, who has French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationality.

But the court had allowed him to keep a second French passport as he needed one to travel inside Japan, a source close to the matter told AFP.

"He had to keep this passport" to prove his short-stay status, the source said, adding: "There was permission from the court."