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The link you posted re: the three days of negotiations, nothing's coming up...
I can easily see three days of periodic phone calls between Nero & Z... 
#1, Nero to Z, Hey I just talk with Joh, I understand he called & talked with you guys about possibly opting out of his contract, etc....  OK well let me talk with Joh about this & we'll get back in touch
#2, Nero to Z, OK so we're having our lawyer review the particulars on the opt out clause.  Joh's looking at a couple different options, you know $16mil is a lot to leave on the table and he's kinda reluctant to do that...  uh huhn, ya, well, our attorney's looking that over now...
#3, Z to Nero, 'Wanted to touch base, looks to us like Joh's free to go, we've got the Nov. 15th deadline of course he needs to inform us by, probably best for everyone if he wants to opt out to do it sooner rather than later.  Doesn't look like any buyout money coming from the M's in the transaction
#4,  Nero to Z, Well some additional funds would make Joh's decision a lot easier, he'll be taking a big pay cut if he returns to Japan, that's adding a lot of payroll flexibility for  you...
etc etc etc.
3 days easy.  A little feeling each other out, jockeying for position, Nero & his lawyer looking for a way to improve the deal...  in the end Nero has no leverage and no choice in the matter.  He takes a hit, but he can recoup a good chunk of it by getting a boffo deal for Joh in Japan.  THERE he has leverage.
Your last paragraph there is exactly right...  Nero's not there to give away money he doesn't have to.  In this case, he has to.  And like I said, he can recoup a good chunk when Joh signs in Japan.