TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo District Court says it has approved the release of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn on 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) bail, ending nearly four months of detention.

Tuesday's approval of Ghosn's request for bail, his third, came a day after one of Ghosn's lawyers said he was confident the auto executive would gain his release.

Ghosn's newly hired attorney, Junichiro Hironaka, is famous for winning acquittals in Japan, a nation where the conviction rate is 99 percent.

The former head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance has been detained since he was arrested on Nov. 19. He says he is innocent of charges of falsifying financial information and breach of trust.

Ghosn's release from Tokyo Detention Center could come as soon as later in the day.