Last month from Japan, Fujimori announced his resignation during what was to be a stop-over on the way back from an international economic summit. He instead declined to return to Peru, opting to stay in Japan. Lawmakers rejected his resignation November 21 and sacked him instead. Peruvians reacted with shock, indignation and embarrassment Tuesday after the Japanese government confirmed Fujimori was indeed a Japanese citizen. His parents, who emigrated from Japan to Peru in the 1930s, had registered his birth in the Japanese consulate in Lima in 1938 and submitted an application to retain his Japanese citizenship, the Japanese government said.
Japanese law forbids the extradition of Japanese nationals.
He was forced to resign after revelations of corruption involving his former close adviser and secret police chief, Vladimiro Montesinos. The disclosure of his dual nationality also has called into question the legitimacy of laws and actions taken during his presidency. Further stoking the fire were reports that Japanese government officials may have known about Fujimori's dual nationality since 1997, according to a former diplomat. With protests against the Japanese government and threats of terrorism Thursday, anti-Japanese sentiment intensified in Peru two days after ousted President Alberto Fujimori claimed Japanese citizenship. He warned of potential attacks on members of the Japanese-Peruvian community and Japanese interests here if the country does not return the former president.