The United States has given the green light to the extradition to Japan of two Americans suspected of having helped the former car magnate Carlos Ghosn to flee Japanese justice in incredible conditions at the end of 2019. A federal judge in Massachusetts however suspended this extradition Thursday, October 29 after the two men appealed against this decision, the time to assess their case.
Michael Taylor, a former member of the US special forces converted to private security, and his son Peter Taylor, 27, were arrested on May 20 in Massachusetts, at the request of Tokyo.
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According to a court document, US State Department number two Stephen Biegun granted Japan's extradition request.
"I confirm that the decision to deliver the Taylors to Japan is in accordance with international obligations and national statutes and regulations
,
"
read the letter from State Department lawyer Karen Johnson.
The Taylors say they received an email late Wednesday informing them they would be put on a plane from Boston to Tokyo at 1 p.m. Thursday.
They believe that they would not be entitled to a fair trial in Japan.
Their lawyers called the State Department's decision
"arbitrary"
and in violation of US law and the extradition treaty with Japan, which they said did not present enough evidence.
The two men, as well as the Lebanese George-Antoine Zayek, are accused by Tokyo of having helped the former boss of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance to escape Japanese justice in December 2019.
Read also: Renault-Nissan: investigation into the twists and turns of the Carlos Ghosn affair
Accused of financial embezzlement, the big boss who has French, Lebanese and Brazilian nationalities, was on bail, with a ban on leaving Japan, when he was exfiltrated from the archipelago hidden in a box for a musical instrument.
Carlos Ghosn, who denies the charges against him, has since taken refuge in Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.
Asked about the extradition decision, a State Department spokesperson declined to comment on an ongoing case.