A 20th anniversary remembrance service was held in Lima Sunday for those caught up in the four-month hostage crisis at the Japanese ambassador's residence in 1996.
Leading the service 20 years and a day after the crisis ended was Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, who was then an archbishop mediating on behalf of the Peruvian government and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) guerrillas.
Former hostages in attendance included Luis Giampietri, 76, who was a senior naval officer at the time and later became vice president.
In December 1996, the leftist MRTA rebels attacked the ambassador's residence during a celebration held to honor the emperor's birthday, taking 72 people hostage.
On April 22, 1997, Peruvian forces stormed the premises through a tunnel dug beneath the residence, rescuing 71 of the hostages.
A Peruvian hostage and two Peruvian military personnel were killed. All 14 MRTA guerillas died in the raid.