JAPAN-PERU: More Japanese Clamour to End Fujimori’s Extended ‘Visit’

By Suvendrini Kakuchi Reprint | | Print |

Suvendrini Kakuchi

TOKYO, Nov 28 2000 (IPS) - Tokyo remains mum about ex-Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori’s request to stay in this country, but more and more Japanese are urging the government to roll up the welcome mat.

Indeed, many say that the longer the 62-year-old Fujimori stays here, the harder it will be for Tokyo to convince other nations that it had not looked the other way while the former leader was being accused of corruption — among other things — in Peru.

Fujimori, whose parents are Japanese, arrived here on Nov. 17, supposedly to arrange for loans for Peru from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. But then he suddenly announced his resignation as Peruvian president, and what was supposed to be an overnight visit here is turning into a prolonged diplomatic nightmare for Japan.

His resignation has been rejected by the Peruvian legislature, which fired him last week on the grounds of moral unfitness. Fujimori is also suspected of having as much as 18 million dollars remitted to Japanese banks accounts after it became obvious that his political future in Peru had become tenuous at best.

Fujimori spoke up on Sunday, saying he had no “secret funds” squirreled away in Japan, and that such allegations were part of “a political plot” hatched by the Peruvian media.

But Tokyo, which has no extradition treaty with Lima, has yet to say anything concrete about Fujimori, even failing to clear up how long he would be permitted to stay in Japan or if he has in fact applied for asylum.

Many observers here say such foot-dragging is a mistake. Comments writer Masakuni Ota, who is a Latin American specialist: “The whole visit is shrouded in mystery and is completely against international etiquette. The way Japan handles this issue is important because it stands as a precedent for the future.”

Others are more definite about what should be done next. “Fujimori should go back (to Peru) as soon as possible,” says economics professor and Latin American expert Tamomi Kozaki of Senshu University. “His stay in Japan can only be seen as an irresponsible act that is supported by the Japanese government.”

Takahisa Umemura, head of the nongovernment organisation Latin American Cooperation Network, also says Tokyo’s silence only means that “Japan is not taking a stance in protecting democracy and human rights”.

It used to be that many Japanese were only too pleased to claim Fujimori, who was first elected President of Peru in 1990, as one of their own.

Tokyo had also been happy to show support for Fujimori’s government mainly through economic aid, figuring that doing so could only strengthen Japan’s diplomatic standing.

Fujimori did the land of his ancestors proud as he worked to get Peru’s economy out of a rut, dealt head on with leftist insurgents and built schools, roads and other infrastructure.

But concerns grew after he dissolved an opposition-controlled parliament in 1992 and proceeded to draft a new charter that gave him more power. Activists also say he failed to curb the military’s human rights abuses.

Fujimori won an unprecedented third term last March, but his victory was marred by accusations of election fraud. Then came a bribery scandal involving his intelligence chief. On Sept. 17, Fujimori surprised everyone by announcing another round of elections that he said would take place next March — and promising that he would not be among the candidates.

Activists here now question why Japan continued to pump more overseas development assistance (ODA) into Peru even as criticisms over Fujimori’s strongman ways increased. In fiscal year 1998, for instance, Japanese ODA for Peru reached a whopping 2.32 billion dollars.

According to the activists, what has happened in Peru only shows why there is a need for Japanese ODA to be more transparent. They also say this is precisely why the dispensing of public money overseas should keep to official guidelines that call for the promotion and human rights in developing countries.

Still, even Fujimori’s harshest critics concede that Tokyo’s unstinting support for Fujimori was tied to its emotional support for the Japanese who had emigrated in droves beginning in 1890 until the early 20th century to seek their fortunes in Latin America. While Fujimori himself was born in Peru, his parents were from the Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan.

Fujimori was also apparently proud of his Japanese roots, appearing in a Japanese ‘yukata’ robe and holding a samurai sword in campaign posters.

But many Japanese say Tokyo should now handle Fujimori ‘s case in such a way that other leaders of countries that are dependent on Japanese ODA would not get any “wrong idea”.

“Disgraced former Indonesian leader Suharto was also closely supported by Japanese ODA,” says Sonoko Kwakami of JANNI, a nongovernment group monitoring Japanese aid to Indonesia. “There could be a string of other such leaders who need to get the strict message that they will not be supported by Japan (if they are) ousted for corruption.”