Fujimori loses Japan election bid

Mr Fujimori ran his election campaign from Chile

Ex-Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has failed in his bid to win a seat in the upper house of Japan's parliament.

Mr Fujimori - who has dual Japanese and Peruvian citizenship - ran his campaign from Chile where he is under house arrest, fighting extradition to Peru.

The 68-year-old was running for office with a small opposition group, the People's New Party, formed in 2005.

Mr Fujimori sought asylum in Japan after his government collapsed amid a corruption scandal seven years ago.

"I could not campaign and the result was unfortunate," Mr Fujimori said, according to Kyodo news agency.

"Even though I was not elected, my feelings towards Japan have not changed. It was a good experience."

Human rights groups in Peru said they were pleased the Japanese people had not treated Mr Fujimori with impunity.

Japan campaign

Mr Fujimori had offered to use his experience gained during 10 years in office in Peru to help Japan solve its problems.

He referred to himself as "the last Samurai" and pledged in a campaign video to restore Japanese traditional values of hard work and humility.

Fujimori called himself "the last Samurai" in a campaign video

However, his decision to stand for election to Japan's upper house was described by his critics as a ploy to avoid extradition from Chile.

He is thought to be the first former head of state to seek national office in another country.

President of Peru from 1990 to 2000, Mr Fujimori was praised for reviving the country's collapsing economy and curbing political violence.

But critics accuse him of crushing Peru's democratic institutions and committing human rights abuses. Mr Fujimori denies all the charges.

In 2000, Mr Fujimori became engulfed in a bribery scandal and fled to Japan, which repeatedly refused efforts by Peru to extradite him on charges including directing death squads, illegal phone tapping and corruption.

In November 2005 he returned to Chile, hoping to launch a new bid for the Peruvian presidency in 2006 elections, only to be arrested on the request of Peruvian authorities.

Earlier this month, Peru formally appealed after a Chilean judge ruled against extraditing Mr Fujimori to Peru, citing insufficient evidence.