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

[January 14, 2020]  By Tim Kelly

TOKYO (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 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.

Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn gestures during a news conference at the Lebanese Press Syndicate in Beirut, Lebanon January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo

Yamaha, 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)

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