Lebanese-French tycoon Ghosn's detention extended

Lebanese-French Carlos Ghosn's detention at a Japanese jail has been extended until mid-January, as prosecutors seek to question the car tycoon on a series of suspected financial crimes.

The former Nissan boss will remain behind bars until at least 11 January, public broadcaster NHK reported, after Japanese re-arrested Ghosn was re-arrested on fresh allegations on 21 December.

The move dashed hopes that he would be released to spend Christmas and New Year with his family with the recent detention extension also see him detained well into the New Year.

"The decision to extend the (detention period) was issued today. The detention expires on 11 January," the Tokyo District Court said in a statement.

Ghosn was first arrested on 19 November, and faces three separate sets of allegations involving financial wrongdoing during his tenure as Nissan chief.

Ghosn was revered in Japan and beyond for his ability to turn around automakers, including Nissan, and the charges against him have shocked the country.

It also shone a light on the Japanese legal system, which has come in for some criticism internationally.

Authorities are pursuing three separate lines of enquiry against the 64-year-old Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian executive.

He is accused of conspiring with his right-hand man, US executive Greg Kelly, to hide away around half of his income (some five billion yen or $44 million) over five fiscal years from 2010.

They also allege he under-reported his salary to the tune of four billion yen over the next three fiscal years - apparently to avoid criticism that his pay was too high.

The extension that prosecutors won Monday allows them to continue investigating a complex third claim that alleges Ghosn sought to shift a personal investment loss onto Nissan's books.

As part of that scheme, he is also accused of having used Nissan funds to repay a Saudi acquaintance who put up collateral money.

Prosecutors have pressed formal charges over the first allegation but not yet over the other accusations.