The Latest: Ghosn lawyer says court OKs bail, rejects appeal

TOKYO (AP) — The Latest on the decision by the Tokyo District Court to approve the release on 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail of Nissan's former chairman, Carlos Ghosn (all times local):

12:35 a.m.

A French lawyer for former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn says a Japanese court has cleared the way to free him on bail, rejecting an appeal by prosecutors.

Jean-Yves Le Borgne said the decision was confirmed to free Ghosn on 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail.

Le Borgne cautioned that prosecuting lawyers could nonetheless attempt to file new charges against the auto executive.

The former head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance has been detained since he was arrested on Nov. 19. He says he is innocent of charges of falsifying financial information and of breach of trust.

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12:15 a.m.

Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn says he is "innocent" and "grateful" for his family and friends who have stood by him "throughout this terrible ordeal," after a Tokyo District Court approved his release on bail.

In a written statement released Tuesday by his communications agency, Ghosn says he is "also grateful to the NGOs and human rights activists in Japan and around the world who fight for the cause of presumption of innocence and a fair trial."

Ghosn says he is "innocent and totally committed to vigorously defending myself in a fair trial against these meritless and unsubstantiated accusations."

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7:00 p.m.

A lawyer for Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co.'s former chairman Carlos Ghosn says his release on bail will not occur Tuesday.

The Tokyo District Court approved Ghosn's release on 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail Tuesday but prosecutors quickly appealed that decision.

Junichiro Hironaka told reporters that the release would not take place Tuesday since bail procedures could not be carried out at night.

Ghosn has been held since his arrest on Nov. 19. Hironaka said the latest request for bail, after two earlier ones were rejected, included promises of camera surveillance and other ways to ensure he could not flee or tamper with evidence.

Prosecutors often hold suspects in Japan for months pending their trials.

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4:05 p.m.

Prosecutors in the case against former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn have appealed the decision by the Tokyo District Court to allow his release on 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail.

Ghosn's release now hinges on the court's decision on that appeal.

Ghosn has been held since his arrest on Nov. 19. He says he is innocent of charges of falsifying financial information and breach of trust.

The acceptance of Ghosn's request for bail, his third, came Tuesday, a day after one of his lawyers, Junichiro Hironaka, said he was confident the auto executive would gain his release.

Hironaka welcomed the court's decision to grant bail, saying "It was good we proposed concrete ways showing how he would not tamper with evidence or try to flee."

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1:10 p.m.

The Tokyo District Court says it has approved the release of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn on 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail, ending nearly four months of detention.

Tuesday's approval of Ghosn's request for bail, his third, came a day after one of Ghosn's lawyers said he was confident the auto executive would gain his release.

Ghosn's newly hired attorney, Junichiro Hironaka, is famous for winning acquittals in Japan, a nation where the conviction rate is 99 percent.

The former head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance has been detained since he was arrested on Nov. 19. He says he is innocent of charges of falsifying financial information and breach of trust.

Ghosn's release from Tokyo Detention Center could come as soon as later in the day.