Japanese Government: Fujimori should be treated fairly
Japanese Government wants officials to have access to Fujimori
The Yomiuri Shimbun
November 8, 2005
The government intends to demand Chile allow Japanese Embassy officials in that country to meet with former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori when it receives a report from Santiago about its arrest of the former president, government sources said Monday.
The government wants the officials to meet with Fujimori because he is a Japanese citizen.
“I know [President Fujimori was detained] from news reports, but we haven’t received any official report from Chile,” Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Taniuchi said at a press conference Monday. “I’d like to consider what we should do depending on how the Chilean government responds to the situation.”
When a Japanese national is arrested and detained overseas, an embassy or consulate official will visit the detainee to confirm the arrest, interview the person and check whether he or she is receiving fair treatment from the authorities. The officials also decide whether the embassy or consulate needs to find a lawyer for the detainee.
The government will wait for a report from the Chilean government before dispatching Japanese Embassy officials to meet with Fujimori.
In late July 2003, Peru officially demanded that Tokyo turn Fujimori over to Lima because he had been accused of various offenses during his presidential reign, including violations of human rights.
The government snubbed the demand because the law for handing over a fugitive stipulates that when a foreign government demands Tokyo hand over a crime suspect with Japanese nationality, the government should not extradite that person from the viewpoint of protecting Japanese citizens.