Fujimori Seeks Image as Terror’s Foe

Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori sought Thursday to reposition himself as a terrorism expert in his first public appearance in months, even as he sidestepped raucous protesters who compared him to Osama bin Laden.

The ousted strongman’s 90-minute guest lecture at Takushoku University focused on what he said were his many accomplishments as president, his misunderstood legacy and the lessons others could learn from his experience fighting leftist terrorists in Peru.

The exiled leader took no questions, discussed none of the thorny issues surrounding his sudden departure from Peru 14 months ago, avoided discussion of the corruption allegations leveled against him and was whisked away in a black limousine.

Outside the gates of the private university, several dozen protesters waved signs reading “Fujimori, Go Back to Peru” and “Fujimori Guilty” while shouting through a bullhorn that he is a thief and in the same league as Bin Laden. The protesters were baited in turn by Takushoku students who yelled obscenities from a few feet away.

“I was just taking an exam, and it’s so noisy I couldn’t even concentrate,” said Tomoko Hanamata, a 21-year-old management student. “Just look at all this.”

As Fujimori, 63, walked onto the university stage in a dark suit and conservative tie, he looked the part of a well-dressed Japanese “salaryman” heading for the office. Once he launched into his speech in Spanish, however, his expressive intonation and animated gestures suggested a far more passionate cultural background than the buttoned-down Japan he now calls home.

Fujimori’s exile in his parents’ native Japan has been sharply condemned in Peru, which is trying to extradite him on corruption charges and alleged human rights violations. Fujimori has repeatedly denied the charges, however, and many Japanese have a neutral to positive view of him.

“In Japan, he’s seen as robust and straightforward, a sort of ideal Japanese man,” said Yuji Seki, a Latin America expert with the National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka. “Many people see him as having the characteristics Japan needs right now.”

Fujimori shocked Peruvians and many outsiders in late 2000 when a seemingly routine trip to Asia turned into a flight from his political foes. Upon landing in Tokyo, he announced that he would remain and should be eligible for Japanese citizenship given that his birth was registered in the family’s ancestral town of Kawachi. After mulling the issue over for several days, Tokyo agreed on technical grounds, and he’s been here ever since.

But Fujimori shows little sign of following other deposed leaders into obscurity. Since his arrival, he has fired repeated shots at critics back home on his Web site, in lengthy newspaper articles and through occasional interviews.

Most of his anti-terrorism speech involved a description of Peru’s economy, society and morale, along with a choppy video of car bombings and bloody corpses detailing the terrorist legacy he inherited as president.

This was followed by a self-congratulatory wrap-up on how he improved Peruvian life by reducing inflation to 10% from 7,600% and restoring security throughout the country, accomplishments that complacent Peruvians have quickly forgotten, he added.

The packed hall of students and retirees, who endured tight security to get in, applauded enthusiastically.

Not everyone in the audience, however, was impressed. “This is really contradictory, because Fujimori borders on being a terrorist himself, yet Japan continues to harbor him,” said Tatsuya Yoshioka, head of Peace Boat. “I feel ashamed as a Japanese that the government is doing this.”

Fujimori has support among right-wing groups in Japan and members of the foreign aid establishment who built up a relationship with him during his decade in power. Beyond that, many Japanese also feel an ethnic connection.

Fujimori’s timing in speaking out appears to be tied to Peru’s extradition effort, said Takashi Asai, a 71-year-old retired trading company executive, who said he found the speech thought-provoking.

Fujimori hopes to bolster support in Japan so that he won’t have to return to Lima, the Peruvian capital, to face charges, Asai said. “He’s trying to protect himself and boost his reputation,” he added. “I, for one, certainly hope he stays in Japan and teaches us more about terrorism.”

Japan has no extradition treaty with Peru and has so far refused to consider the South American country’s request.

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Rie Sasaki in The Times’ Tokyo Bureau contributed to this report.