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Manufacturing

Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn says he fled Japan to avoid "political persecution"

The former automotive executive has given a press conference to explain his reasons for dramatically fleeing from Japan

Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn speaks at a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)(Image: AP)

Nissan's fugitive ex-chairman Carlos Ghosn has described his detention conditions in Japan, from which he fled last month in a daring escape, as a "travesty" against human rights and dignity.

Mr Ghosn was defensive as he held a news conference in Beirut - his first appearance since fleeing Japan last month.

He said the decision to escape the country, where he was due to stand trial for alleged financial misconduct at the carmaker, "was the most difficult of my life".

The former car industry titan dismissed all allegations against him as untrue, saying: "I should never have been arrested in the first place."

"I'm not above the law and I welcome the opportunity for the truth to come out and have my name cleared," he told a packed room of journalists.

Mr Ghosn smuggled himself from Tokyo to Beirut in late December, arriving in the Lebanese capital where he grew up and is regarded by many as a national hero.

His daring and improbable escape has perplexed and embarrassed Japanese authorities after he skipped bail and managed to flee the country despite supposedly rigorous surveillance.

Media reports have said that he left his residence alone, met two men at a Tokyo hotel, and then took a bullet train to Osaka before boarding a private jet hidden inside a case for musical equipment.