Alberto Fujimori, Peru's president from 1990 to 2000, was the son of Japanese immigrants.

When he won the 1990 presidential election, the relatively unknown Mr Fujimori was an agricultural engineer. He had campaigned on an anti-corruption platform.

Mr Fujimori is blamed for the death of civilians in the fight against Shining Path Maoist guerrillas in the early 1990s, including an alleged massacre of 15 people in Lima in 1991.

In April 1992, facing mounting opposition and fears of a military coup, he allied himself with the army and suspended the constitution.

He described the move as a crackdown on rebels and drug traffickers - but it brought international criticism and an unsuccessful challenge from his deputy, Maximo San Roman.

A new constitution was adopted in 1993, enabling Mr Fujimori to seek re-election. He was overwhelmingly re-elected in 1995.

In November 2000, his support crumbled following a bribery scandal involving spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos. In November Mr Fujimori left the country and resigned while in Japan.

In November 2005, he flew to Chile, planning to launch a political comeback in Peru. He was detained and only released on condition that he remained in the country.

Supporters say Mr Fujimori saved Peru from terrorism and economic collapse, but others condemn him as an authoritarian who destroyed democratic institutions.

He is due to return to Peru after Chile's Supreme Court ordered his extradition to face charges of human rights abuse and corruption, which he denies.