Japan refuses to hand over Fujimori

The Japanese government has once again ruled out the possibility of extraditing the disgraced former Peruvian president, Alberto Fujimori.

Shortly after a senior Peruvian congressman warned of serious consequences if the former president was not handed over, the Japanese Justice Minister, Masahiko Komura, said the government in Tokyo does not extradite its own nationals or others who've not committed any crime on Japanese soil.

Mr Fujimori -- who has dual Peruvian-Japanese nationality -- was formally charged earlier this week with dereliction of duty, after fleeing to Tokyo last November to escape a corruption scandal. The Supreme Court in Peru is expected to issue an arrest warrant for the former president shortly and Lima is said to be planning to send a special envoy to Japan in an attempt to bring Mr Fujimori home.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service