The Japanese government denied Mohamedou Slahi the visa in January. The 53-year-old author, who penned a memoir during his imprisonment that later became a worldwide bestseller and movie, had planned to visit Japan in March to give a lecture. Slahi expressed shock and disappointment at the visa refusal, saying, "I thought Japan was a free, democratic, and peace-loving country." In 2020 and in the latest attempt to visit Japan, he planned to talk about "how to build peace beyond religion and national position in a world where conflicts continue unabated," he said. Ishizuka said that Japan "has likely branded (Slahi) as a terrorist" and is showing deference to the United States.

Source: The Guardian February 19, 2024 07:31 UTC