One Japanese man has a vivid memory of Christmas 30 years ago.

Stationed in Peru at the time, he was attending a gala reception at the Japanese ambassador’s residence in Lima when he and hundreds of other dignitaries were taken hostage by left-wing guerrillas who stormed the compound.

The incident is now known as the Japanese Embassy hostage crisis of December 1996.

Food supplies faltered during the long siege. But one day, a white cake was delivered to the residence. The sender’s name was Keiko Fujimori.

“She must have thought that the guerrillas would reject anything sent from the president, but not something from his daughter,” the above-mentioned Japanese man........

© The Asahi Shimbun