Japan court extends Nissan ex-chair's detention

Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn will be spending Christmas and the beginning of 2019 behind bars after a Tokyo court on Sunday extended his detention through to January 1.

"Today, a decision was made to detain (Ghosn). The full term of the detention will expire on January 1," the Tokyo District Court said in a statement to media.

The move by the court comes as Tokyo prosecutors continue to grill the automobile tycoon over allegations that he shifted a personal investment loss worth more than $16 million to the Japanese automaker.

The Franco-Brazilian-Lebanese executive had earlier had hopes of being freed on bail after the same Tokyo court rejected a bid last week by prosecutors to extend his detention over allegations related to under-reporting his income.

New warrant

But on Friday, prosecutors slapped Ghosn with a fresh arrest warrant over the investment loss, gaining a 48-hour period to keep him in custody before the latest extension was granted.

He has reportedly denied the allegations, asserting that transactions were carried out legally.

His lengthy detention -- in Japan, suspects can be "re-arrested" several times over different allegations -- has sparked criticism, especially from abroad.

His original November 19 arrest for alleged financial misconduct sent shockwaves through the business world.

Since then, the once jet-setting executive has languished in a tiny cell in a detention centre in northern Tokyo, where he has complained about the cold and the rice-based menu.