The former chairman of Nissan, who had been awaiting trial in Japan, has travelled to Lebanon - claiming he is avoiding 'injustice and political persecution'.
Carlos Ghosn is facing criminal charges for alleged financial misconduct.
He denies fleeing justice, but in a statement confirmed he is now in Lebanon - a country which does not have an extradition agreement with Japan.
It was not immediately clear how the 65-year-old managed to leave Japan, where an overseas travel ban had been part of his strict bail conditions.
Mr Ghosn said: "[I] will no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant, and basic human rights are denied, in flagrant disregard of Japan's legal obligations under international law and treaties it is bound to uphold.
"I have not fled justice - I have escaped injustice and political persecution.
"I can now finally communicate freely with the media, and look forward to starting next week."
The former Nissan executive's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka condemned his client's "inexcusable behaviour".
Mr Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018.
It came after an internal investigation by the automaker, with the company alleging that he under-reported his income "over many years".
He was also accused of using the business’s money for personal use.
Mr Ghosn - once seen by many as the most powerful executive in the automotive industry - was charged with financial misconduct and other alleged offences.
He was released on bail of one billion yen (€8 million) after being detained for more than 100 days.
The Brazilian businessman had previously overseen an alliance involving Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi and led recoveries at all three brands.
Following his arrest, Nissan and Mitsubishi's boards voted to remove Mr Ghosn from his roles.
While he initially remained in his role as Renualt boss, he resigned from the position in January of this year.
