When Carlos Ghosn, the flamboyant auto executive, posted a record US$14 million (NZ$20.8m) bail in the spring, he agreed to having surveillance cameras installed outside his Tokyo home, he was denied access to the Internet, and, for months, he was banned from talking to his wife.

Axar.az reports citing Stuff.co that on Tuesday, the charismatic and controversial former boss of the Nissan-Renault car alliance had fled Japan, where he was awaiting trial on charges of financial misconduct, and arrived in Lebanon after a secretive departure that left Japanese authorities and his attorneys mystified, embarrassed and angry.

Ghosn, who is of Lebanese descent and holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian citizenship, did not say how he had managed to abscond months before his trial was due to start.

One of his Japanese attorneys still has one of Ghosn's three passports, the attorney said, as required by the terms of his bail, and expressed bafflement and embarrassment. Lebanese authorities said he had entered the country legally carrying his French passport and Lebanese ID card.