"Frankly, I want the U.S. authorities would put just a little bit extra stress to alleviate Greg from the nightmare," Ghosn mentioned.

A Change.org petition was began by Kevin Kelly, the chief's son, to ask Washington to "push for a decision" that permits Kelly to instantly return to the U.S.

It argues that the dispute over Ghosn's retirement ought to have been dealt with as an inside company matter, not a legal one.

It cites a January report in Japan's Mainichi newspaper saying Prime Minister Shinzo Abe additionally wished Nissan to deal with the problem internally.

As of final week, the petition had 5,260 signatures.

"My father, Greg Kelly, has been trapped in Japan for the previous 15 months, a sufferer of Japan's draconian justice system," the petition says.

Kevin Kelly wrote in a March 9 replace that the trial seemingly will start this summer time, after a 3rd delay.

"My father will return from Japan by fall 2021 on the earliest," he wrote. "He may have arrived in Japan a 62-year-old man and go away at 65....