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Fujimori Fights to Stay in Japan
Peru's disgraced former president, Alberto Fujimori, has said he expects to be able to use Japanese nationality to escape prosecution in Lima.
A Peruvian congressional commission is planning to issue an international warrant for Mr Fujimori's arrest if he ignores a second summons to testify before a panel investigating his former spy chief, Vladimiro Montesinos, for a range of offences.
But Mr Fujimori told the French news agency AFP that he would try to stay in Japan.
Earlier, firm allegations were made for the first time, linking him and Mr Montesinos with criminal activity.
The allegations were made by a Peruvian congressman, Jorge Del Castillo, who maintains that the two men had several million dollars in a joint secret bank account in the Cayman Islands.
Mr Fujimori has denied any involvement with Mr Montesinos, who is wanted on charges ranging from corruption to genocide.
Status unknown
It seems unlikely that Mr Fujimori, who was removed from office last month, will comply with the order to attend the commission hearing in Peru.
He has said that he is willing to answer questions in Japan, but will not return to Lima for the time being.
He is still awaiting a decision from the justice ministry in Tokyo on whether he holds Japanese nationality.
"I hope that very soon the Japanese government will confirm that this is the case, and as a consequence, in the face of this persecution, I can exercise my status of Japanese national," he said.
Japanese Justice Minister Masahiko Komura said a decision would be sent to the foreign ministry early next week and would be considered by the whole cabinet.
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