Meeting With Peruvian President Keiko FujimoriVisit to Japan following APEC meeting aims to strengthen bilateral ties

The Nippon Foundation Chairman Takeju Ogata visited the Government Palace of Peru in the capital city of Lima on the evening of October 19 local time (the morning of October 20 Japan time) and met with Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori for roughly 40 minutes.

Ms. Fujimori is scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen, China, on November 18-19, and has indicated that she plans to visit Japan following the meeting and intends to visit Japan again during 2027.

Ms. Fujimori is scheduled to arrive in Japan on the evening of November 19 and leave on November 20, and she noted hopefully that although she will only be in Japan for a short time, she may have an opportunity to meet to meet with the Emperor. She also commented that going forward, she hopes to promote exchanges among private-sector companies to enhance Peru’s political and economic stability.

When Mr. Ogata mentioned a program to build schools in Peru that The Nippon Foundation supported in the 1990s, Ms. Fujimori noted that her government is emphasizing education by refurbishing aging school facilities and providing technical education to public school students in areas including carpentry, machinery and cosmetology, and asked for Japan’s cooperation.

Ms. Fujimori had just returned that day from Peru’s southern and Amazon regions, which have experienced severe El Niño-related damage, and commented that Peru and Ecuador may be the hardest hit region of South America.

The Nippon Foundation had friendly relations with Alberto Fujimori, Peru’s first Nikkei* president, while he was in office through the building of schools and support for Nikkei communities, and even after being sentenced to a 25-year prison term in 2010 for human rights violations and other charges, Mr. Ogata and The Nippon Foundation Honorary Chair Yohei Sasakawa maintained contact with both Alberto and Keiko Fujimori.

Mr. Ogata attended Ms. Fujimori’s inauguration in July 2026, and called on the president at her official residence during this visit.