Carlos Ghosn steps out in Tokyo

NHK -- Mar 09

Nissan Motor's former chairman has been spotted visiting a park with his family, after leaving a Tokyo detention center on bail earlier this week.

Carlos Ghosn was seen outside his residence on Friday afternoon.

When a reporter asked Ghosn if he was innocent, the former chairman merely replied, "No comment."

He was accompanied by his wife and one of his daughters. The three went into a park.

Ghosn has been indicted for aggravated breach of trust and underreporting his compensation. He denies the charges.

One of his lawyers has identified himself as the person who advised Ghosn to leave the detention house in disguise.

Takashi Takano wrote on his blog that he wanted to prevent Ghosn from being followed by camera crews. But he said the effort failed.

The lawyer said the scheme was immature and hurt Ghosn's reputation.

Another lawyer said he has spoken with prosecutors and court officials about Ghosn's trial. He gave no clear indication as to when Ghosn might speak to the media.

He said, "Ghosn is willing to hold a news conference, but his condition is still not good at the moment. He wants to speak when he is feeling better. We will let you know when that is."

Meanwhile, Nissan plans to hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting in April. At the meeting, Ghosn is expected to be dismissed as one of the directors of the board.