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(LIP-ir) -- Peru's former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori announced he would run for a seat in Japan's Upper House elections on Wednesday. The former President was invited by Kokumin Shinto last week to represent the People's New Party (PNP) in the July elections.

The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has revealed today that former President Fujimori was denied support from the DPJ when he asked them to help him run for Senate. Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said, "He asked us once but we refused."

Fujimori, who was President of Peru from 1990-2000, is currently under house arrest in Chile awaiting a court ruling on his extradition to Peru. The Peruvian government wants him tried on bribery, misuse of government funds and taking part in death-squad killings.

Fujimori has said that he will run as a proportional representational candidate for the People's New Party to work for Asian diplomacy, the North Korea problem and the safety of the Japanese public.

The People's New Party (PNP), headed by Shizuka Kamei, is a 2 year-old minor Japanese party with 10 lawmakers. Kamei has said that he wants Fujimori to make use of his knowledge, rich experience and reputation for Japan's politics.

"When someone that has absolutely nothing to do with Japanese politics, suddenly announces that they are going to be a candidate in national elections, I ask myself, what their intentions are," stated Chairman of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Kazuo Shii.

CNN has quoted Internal Affairs Ministry official Tetsuya Kikuchi as saying that no regulations under Japan's Public Offices Election Law prohibit a candidate under house arrest overseas from running in an election in Japan.

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	Chilean newspaper reports Japan asked for extension on Fujimori's extradition to Peru (by LIP, Jun 25, 2007)
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