Fujimori's Extradition Not Decided by Japan, Says Paniagua

The extradition of disgraced Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori from Japan is not decided by the Japanese authorities but by international law, Peruvian acting President Valentin Paniagua said Tuesday.

Paniagua told a news conference that "the achievement of his (Fujimori) extradition does not depend on the opinion of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, but on international regulations."

Japan last Thursday dismissed a Peruvian newspaper report that Fujimori can be extradited, and reaffirmed that it would not send him back to Lima because he is a Japanese citizen.

Fujimori, who has been charged in Peru with dereliction of duty, has remained in Japan since he announced his resignation as president while on an official visit to Japan last November.

Peru's Congress later rejected his resignation and deposed him.

Peru's La Republica newspaper said on its front page last Wednesday, "Yes, Fujimori can be extradited."

The paper said that Fujimori's parents traveled to Peru in 1934 and entered his name in the family register in their home village in southern Japan, thus making him eligible for Japanese nationality.

Fujimori should have expressed his wish to maintain Japanese nationality when he came of age at 20, but he did not do so, the paper said.

The paper cited a 1985 law saying Japanese nationality could be revoked if the person chose to accept a public office that Japan deemed "contradictory with the option of Japanese nationality requested by someone of dual citizenship."

Paniagua said that a series of legal procedures must be fulfilled first, then extradition could take place, unless Japan wishes to violate international law regulations.

Fujimori has been charged in Peru with dereliction of duty, but he refused to return to Peru "for want of guarantees," though he has chosen to address a written reply.

Fujimori also faces a constitutional accusation approved by the Congress, currently under the evaluation of Peru's Attorney General's office, for his presumed participation in the two killings committed by military commandos in the combat against terrorism.






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