Japan court denies more detention time for Ghosn!

If a bail request by Carlos Ghosn's lawyer is accepted by the court, he may be released within days.

• Denial is extremely rare in Japan where requests from authorities for extensions are almost automatically okayed.

A Japanese court denied prosecutors' request on Thursday to extend the detention of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, who has been charged with underreporting his pay.

The Tokyo District Court said it rejected the request for another 10-day detention for Ghosn over an additional allegation dealing with financial reports in recent years.

The denial is extremely rare in a country where requests from investigative authorities for extended detention are almost automatically approved. If a bail request by his lawyer is accepted by the court, Ghosn may be released within days.Ghosn's Japanese defense lawyer Motonari Ohtsuru visited the Tokyo Detention Center later on Thursday apparently for a meeting with his client, but walked past a pack of reporters without saying a word and left.

Prosecutors appealed the decision but the court rejected it. They could still take further legal steps in a bid to allow them to investigate Ghosn and co-defendant and former Nissan executive Greg Kelly longer.

Shin Kukimoto, deputy chief prosecutor at Tokyo District Prosecutors' Office, said that the court gave no reason for refusing an extension. "We requested for an extension because we need further investigation," Kukimoto said. "I must say [the court decision] would affect us, but we'll do the best we can."

Ghosn was arrested on November 19 along with Kelly over allegations that they underreported Ghosn's pay by about ¥5 billion ($44 million) in 2011-15.