INSIDE JAPAN from our view

Fujimori under arrest in Chile  SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- Peru's disgraced ex-President Alberto Fujimori, wanted there on human rights abuse and corruption charges, was arrested during a surprise visit to Chile, Peru's foreign minister said late Sunday. Fujimori, who led Peru from 1990 to 2000, has been a fugitive in his ancestral homeland Japan since he fled there in November 2000, when a corruption scandal toppled his government.

 I would really like to talk about this news. But I have never been to South America. So it is very difficult for me to understand the feelings and logics of this continent. Fujimori appeared to be a good politician according our news. So the fact the people suddenly changed their attitude toward Fujimori is always questionable.

 By the way, Fujimori is certainly Japanese name. He is a decendant of Japanese immigrants. About 50 to 100 years ago, Japanese government recommended its people to migrate because our land was so scarce that it seemed to be impossible to sustain growing popularity at that time.

 Do you know the meaning of Fujimori in Japanese language? Fuji is one of traditional plants in Japan. Its flower is purple and Fuji extends its leaves like ivy. This  flower has been very famous for more than 1000 years in Japan. Many poets admire Fuji's beauty.

 On the other hand, Mori represents a forest in Japanese. So Fujimori means a lot of beautiful Fuji which reminds us art, nature, beauty. So when we hear the name of Peru's ex-resident Fujimori, it sounds very noble to us.