I don't understand why the media keeps writing these glowing stories about a rich guy using his money to skip bail before a trial and also using that money to make sure he is never tried for the crimes he has been accused of.
The public doesn't get terribly excited over crimes against shareholders. Ghosn's theory of the case is plausible and a good story, so the press will tend to entertain it. And with two oligarchical factions in a pissing match, one having better access to the tools of state doesn't really elevate its moral standing. In fact, they both seem to own parts of different states.
This plotline would be right at home in Billions. Probably get panned by critics for being over the top, honestly.
Some of this I already knew but I've learned a lot more from the Ghosn case.
This is hardly the only comparison you should make. In terms of legal protection the US is much better than Japan when you are under arrest.
Being part of the majority in the US already makes you less likely to be arrested, murdered by a "scared" police officer and your also less likely of being convicted if you are arrested. The police in Japan love to stop and frisk foreigners on bicycles or who are drinking on the street, but their interactions are atleast respectful and there's no fear of something being planted on you or you being shot.
The Japanese legal system doesn't tend to put people into it unless they believe they can convict. Ghoson was probably not going to get the most fair trial in Japan but he's shown he isn't above breaking the law so I don't know why the media is portraying him as some human rights activist against the Japanese system. The case the courts in Japan had against him just seems stronger.
If he had been in the US or another western country he simply would have used his money to get a deal from the prosecution. When he realized he couldn't he used that money to escape and pay for media PR.