TOKYO: Former Renault-Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn has beefed up his defense team ahead of his trial in Japan by hiring Junichiro Hironaka, a star lawyer with a strong track record for winning rare acquittals in a country where the conviction rate is 99 percent.
Another new attorney on his team, Hiroshi Kawatsu, is an expert on judicial reform who has studied and done research in the US
Ghosn, arrested Nov. 19, and charged with falsifying financial reports and breach of trust, says he is innocent.
Some of prominent cases Hironaka has won are:
ICHIRO OZAWA: An influential lawmaker known as the “shadow shogun” for his backroom dealings, Ozawa was charged with false financial reports on political funding, linked to a 2004 land deal. He was acquitted in 2012, while three aides got suspended sentences. Ozawa’s defense argued he was innocent as he had no knowledge of the deal.
KAZUYOSHI MIURA: The Japanese businessman was suspected of involvement in the shooting death of his wife in Los Angeles in 1981. Miura was shot in the leg while his wife was shot in the head. Miura’s 1994 conviction was overturned by two higher courts, including a 2003 Supreme Court ruling. Hironaka led the defense in both. Arrested in Saipan, Miura was extradited to the US in 2008 on conspiracy charges since murder charges would have amounted to double jeopardy. He was found dead in his jail cell while awaiting arraignment. The coroner ruled it a suicide.
ATSUKO MURAKI: A welfare ministry official, Muraki was arrested in 2009 on suspicion of falsely approving a group to qualify for mail discounts. She asserted her innocence, saying she knew nothing about such a group. She was acquitted in 2010. One of the first women to rise in Japan’s government bureaucratic ranks, she has written books criticizing the Japanese criminal system, drawing on her roughly five months of detention.
TAKESHI ABE: The head of a government AIDS research team, in 1996 Abe was charged with professional negligence resulting in death, in a major scandal over the sale of HIV-tainted blood products in 1983-85 that caused 2,000 Japanese, mostly hemophiliacs, to contract the AIDS virus. The blood had not been heat-treated to kill the virus, a procedure that was used in the US but not approved for use in Japan until 1985. Abe denied wrongdoing, saying he didn’t know the products would lead to infection. He was acquitted in 2001 after a four year trial and died in 2004, while facing an appeal.
Ghosn beefs up defense with lawyer famous for acquittals
Ghosn beefs up defense with lawyer famous for acquittals
- Ghosn, arrested Nov. 19, and charged with falsifying financial reports and breach of trust, says he is innocent
- Junichiro Hironaka is a star lawyer with a strong track record for winning rare acquittals in a country where the conviction rate is 99 percent
Acwa signs key terms to develop 5GW of renewable energy capacity in Turkiye
JEDDAH: Saudi utility giant Acwa has signed key investment agreements with Turkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to develop up to 5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, starting with 2GW of solar power across two plants in Sivas and Taseli.
Under the investment agreement, Acwa will develop, finance, and construct, as well as commission and operate both facilities, according to a press release.
The program builds on the company’s first investment in Turkiye, the 927-megawatt Kirikkale Independent Power Plant, valued at $930 million, which offsets approximately 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, the statement added.
A separate power purchase agreement has been concluded with Elektrik Uretim Anonim Sirketi for the sale of electricity generated by each facility.
Turkiye aims to boost solar and wind capacity to 120GW by 2035, supported by around $80 billion in investment, while recent projects have already helped prevent 12.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and reduced reliance on imported natural gas.
Turkiye’s energy sector has undergone a rapid transformation in recent years, with renewable power emerging as a central pillar of its strategy.
Raad Al-Saady, vice chairman and managing director of ACWA, said: “The signing of the IA (implementation agreement) and PPA key terms marks a pivotal moment in Acwa’s partnership with Turkiye, reflecting the country’s strong potential as a clean energy leader and manufacturing powerhouse.”
He added: “Building on our long-standing presence, including the 927MW Kirikkale Power Plant commissioned in 2017, this step elevates our partnership to a new level,” Al-Saady said.
In its statement, Acwa said the 5GW renewable energy program will deliver electricity at fixed prices, enhancing predictability for grid planning and supporting long-term industrial investment.
By replacing imported fossil fuels with domestically generated clean energy, the initiative is expected to reduce Turkiye’s exposure to global energy market volatility, strengthening energy security and lowering long-term power costs.
The company added that the economic impact will extend beyond the anticipated investment of up to $5 billion in foreign direct investment, with thousands of jobs expected during the construction phase and hundreds of high-skilled roles created during operations.
The energy firm concluded that its existing progress in Turkiye reflects a strong appreciation for Turkish engineering, construction, and manufacturing capacity, adding that localization has been a strategic priority, and it has already achieved 100 percent local employment at its developments in the country.
