Tokyo prosecutors on Thursday obtained a fresh arrest warrant for former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn for leaving Japan while on bail.
The prosecutors also secured warrants for three others allegedly involved in helping Ghosn leave Japan in violation of the immigration control law in late December. Ghosn announced he was in Lebanon on Dec. 31.
The three are Michael Taylor, 59, a former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces known as the Green Berets, George Zayek, 60, and Peter Taylor, 26.
The three are suspected of taking the 65-year-old former auto tycoon to a hotel in Osaka Prefecture and hiding him inside a box, and then taking him to Kansai International Airport in the prefecture, where they helped him pass a security inspection despite knowing Ghosn's bail conditions did not allow him to travel overseas.
There was no record of Ghosn's departure, and Justice Minister Masako Mori has said he left the country illegally.
Ghosn, who holds Brazilian, French and Lebanese citizenship, arrived in Lebanon via Turkey after leaving Japan. As Japan does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon, Ghosn is unlikely to return to Japan.
He was facing trial in Japan over the alleged underreporting of his remuneration by billions of yen in Nissan's securities reports during the eight years through March 2018, as well as misuse of company funds.
After arriving in Beirut, Ghosn said he fled Japan to escape the country's "rigged" justice system.
On Wednesday, Tokyo prosecutors searched the office of lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, who had represented Ghosn until earlier this month, in connection with Ghosn's escape to Lebanon.