Ghosn's case will not affect Japan-France relations: Japanese gov't spokesman

TOKYO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The case of former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who has been granted bail by a Tokyo court on Tuesday, will not affect the relations between Japan and France, Japan's government spokesman said Tuesday.

"Japan and France, which are special partners, have maintained close political, economic, security and cultural ties, and it's unlikely they'll be affected by individual cases," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.

The Tokyo District Court granted bail to Ghosn on Tuesday, meaning the ex-auto tycoon could be released for the first time since his arrest on Nov. 19 last year on charges of financial misconduct.

In response to a question on the criticism over the ousted chairman's long detention of more than 100 days, Suga said the government should not comment on a judicial decision.

However, he said investigations were "conducted under a strict judicial review and based on proper procedures."

Ghosn's bail was set at 1 billion yen (9 million U.S. dollars) after a request was filed with the court on Thursday by Ghosn's new legal team.

Prosecutors filed a quasi-appeal with the court against its decision to grant Ghosn's bail, but if rejected, the defendant's release could be imminent.

Ghosn, a French citizen born in Brazil, joined Nissan in 1999 and brought the ailing automaker out of its financial difficulties under a capital alliance with Renault. He became Renault's CEO in 2005 but was stripped of his position amid the scandals.

Mitsubishi Motors joined the Nissan-Renault alliance in 2016. Renault owns a 43.4-percent stake in Nissan, while Nissan holds a 15-percent stake in Renault and a 34-percent stake in Mitsubishi Motors.

According to local media reports, the French government owns the largest proportion of shares in Renault.