The government has officially confirmed that ousted Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has Japanese citizenship and that there is no problem with him staying indefinitely, Foreign Minister Yohei Kono announced Tuesday.
At a regular news conference after the day's Cabinet meeting, Kono said the Justice Ministry informed him Monday of the validity of Fujimori's Japanese nationality. "Therefore, there is no legal problem with him staying in Japan," Kono said.
Justice Minister Masahiko Komura said his ministry had examined whether Fujimori obtained Japanese citizenship at birth and whether he has retained it ever since.
Fujimori's Japanese citizenship was confirmed in that process, but Komura declined to elaborate further, saying it is a matter of privacy.
Under the 1985 revised nationality law, the government does not allow dual citizenship and requires adults over 20 years of age and with multiple passports to choose a nationality.
However, the law does not apply to those who had possessed dual citizenship before 1985.
Kono said the government is not in a position to comment on Fujimori's dual citizenship.
"We treat Mr. Fujimori as a Japanese," he said.
Kono also said Japan and Peru have no extradition agreement, thus there is no legal basis for handing Fujimori over to Peru even if the Lima government makes such a request.
"In the event that a certain request is made by the Peruvian government, we will consider the matter according to Japanese domestic law," Kono said.
Government sources have said Peru has made no official request for Fujimori's extradition.
Kono said Fujimori has not told the Foreign Ministry about what he wishes to do now that he can legally stay in Japan.