Yamaha warns musicians not to climb in instrument cases after Ghosn escape

YAMAHA

14/01/2020 07:25

By Tim Kelly
    TOKYO, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Yamaha Corporation, has warned
people not to try and squeeze inside musical instrument cases
after reports former Nissan Motor boss Carlos Ghosn fled Japan
concealed inside in one.
    "We won't mention the reason, but there have been many
tweets about climbing inside large musical instrument cases. A
warning after any unfortunate accident would be too late, so we
ask everyone not to try it," the Japanese company said in a post
on its twitter account on Jan. 11.
    Ghosn, who is accused of hiding earnings, transferring
investment losses to Nissan  7201.T  and misappropriating
company funds, escaped from Japan at the end of December for
Lebanon. Japanese authorities have vowed to pursue him and have
issued an international wanted notice for him and his wife
Carole.
    The former auto executive and fugitive has declined to
reveal how he slipped past Japanese airport security, or confirm
media reports accomplices smuggled him through a private jet
lounge in Kansai Airport in western Japan hidden in large
speaker box that was too large to fit through the facility's
X-ray scanner. 
    Earlier reports, which Ghosn has dismissed, said he was
carried out of his home in Tokyo in a double bass case.   
    Yamaha  7951.T , which makes instruments and equipment
ranging from pianos and double basses to drums and heavy duty
speakers, thanked people in second tweet for liking its first
post, which was retweeted more than 50,000 times. It also
reminded followers again that instrument cases are designed for
instruments and not people.

 (Reporting by Tim Kelly; 
Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
 ((+8190-1663-4882, tim.kelly@thomsonreuters.com.))