Lawyers for former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn have appealed a Tokyo court decision to refuse him bail as he remains in prison awaiting trial.
The car tycoon has been in custody since his arrest on 19 November on charges of financial misconduct after being accused of underreporting his salary and transferring personal losses to Nissan.
Earlier this week Tokyo prosecutors rejected a bail request made by Ghosn’s lawyer Motonari Otsuru. His legal team has now appealed the decision, according to local media reports.
Otsuru has previously said the former Nissan boss is likely to remain behind bars until his trial, which may not begin for six months.
The appeal comes after French finance minister Bruno Le Maire called on Renault to replace Ghosn, who is still chairman and chief executive of the car manufacturer.
Le Maire told French media a change of leadership is needed at the company, which has expressed its support for the executive.
The French government, which holds a 15 per cent stake in Renault, had initially supported the company’s decision.
But Le Maire’s comments revealed officials are now looking for a replacement as the scandal surrounding the Brazilian-born tycoon continues.
Renault executives are expected to meet on 20 January to discuss a replacement, a source close to the matter told Reuters.
Ghosn has been ousted from leadership positions at Nissan and Mitsubishi, which are part of an alliance with the French company.
In a court appearance in Tokyo last week Ghosn denied the charges against him.
