Tokyo, May 29: Former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, living in self-imposed exile in Japan, has been questioned by Tokyo prosecutors about his part in a 1997 hostage standoff in which leftist rebels were allegedly executed by military commandos.
Fujimori was summoned by the Tokyo public prosecutors office three weeks ago and questioned for about 40 minutes, he said in a telephone interview.

Tokyo prosecutors, who were acting upon a request from their Peruvian counterparts, asked him details about a rescue operation he commanded that ended a four-month hostage standoff at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima.
Peruvian prosecutors allege three rebels of the Tupac Amaru revolutionary movement were killed after they surrendered during the raid.
Fujimori said that he was asked why he suspended negotiations with the rebels, what method of communications he used during the crisis and about 40 other questions about how the operation was directed.

He denied that he was interrogated about other allegations pending against him, including charges of corruption, abandoning office and authorising death squad murders.

The Tokyo prosecutor's office refused to comment.

Fujimori has been living here since November 2000 after his government collapsed amid a corruption scandal.

Japan, which does not share an extradition treaty with Peru, has refused to hand him over.

Bureau Report