Tokyo District Court halted pretrial conference procedures over charges against former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn that he underreported his compensation Thursday. 

The move came after Ghosn fled Japan to Lebanon late last month while out on bail awaiting trial.

The number of Ghosn's defense team fell to three from seven after Junichiro Hironaka and some other lawyers stepped down.

Procedures for charges against former Nissan director Greg Kelly and the Japanese automaker accused of helping Ghosn underreport his pay will be put on a separate track from the former chairman, sources familiar with the situation said.

Presiding Judge Kenji Shimotsu had planned to start the hearing on these charges on April 21.

Shimotsu apparently planned to start trial on separate charges against Ghosn that he diverted Nissan money for personal gain, in autumn this year or later, sources familiar with the judge's thinking said.

JIJI Press