Japan–Peru relations refer to the bilateral diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between Japan and the Republic of Peru. Both countries are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Forum of East Asia–Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the United Nations.
History
Early Relations
Prior to formal diplomatic relations, early contact between Japan and Peru occurred indirectly through Spanish merchants who traded via the Manila Galleon between Acapulco, Mexico, and Manila, Philippines, as well as through Spanish missionaries. In Manila, Spanish traders exchanged goods with Japanese merchants, bringing their products to Spanish America, including Peru, which was then part of the Spanish Empire. Peru declared independence from Spain in 1821, while Japan entered the Meiji period in October 1868, ending decades of isolation and beginning to foster diplomatic relations with other nations.
19th Century
In June 1872, before formal diplomatic relations were established, a diplomatic incident occurred involving the Peruvian ship María Luz, which sailed from Macau to Callao carrying 232 Chinese indentured laborers destined for Peruvian plantations. After encountering a severe storm, the ship docked at the Japanese port of Yokohama for repairs. Chinese laborers escaped and reported mistreatment to Japanese authorities. Japanese courts ruled against the ship's captain, Ricardo Herrera, and freed the Chinese nationals. In 1873, Japan and Peru formally established diplomatic relations by signing a Treaty of Friendship and Navigation, making Peru the first country in Latin America to establish diplomatic relations with Japan.
In 1899, 790 Japanese migrants arrived in Peru aboard the Sakuramaru, primarily to work on plantations. By 1936, approximately 23,000 Japanese migrants had immigrated to Peru.
20th Century
Furuya Incident and 1940 Lima Riots Tensions between Peruvians and the Japanese community grew in the years preceding World War II, partly due to the economic concentration of Japanese businesses. In 1940, a series of race riots targeted Japanese-owned businesses in Lima, particularly in the district of Jesús María, causing an estimated loss of 7 million Peruvian soles. The 1940 Lima earthquake occurred during these events, worsening the situation.
World War II and Aftermath During World War II, Peruvian mobs sacked, looted, and burned more than 600 Japanese homes and businesses in Lima, killing 10 Japanese nationals and injuring dozens. In January 1942, following the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Peru broke diplomatic relations with Japan. Subsequently, Peru deported over 1,700 Japanese Peruvians to the United States, where they were placed in internment camps. After the war, Peru re-established diplomatic relations with Japan. In 1959, Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi paid an official visit to Peru, and in 1961, Peruvian President Manuel Prado Ugarteche became the first Peruvian and Latin American head of state to visit Japan.
Presidency of Alberto Fujimori In July 1990, Alberto Fujimori became the first Peruvian President of Japanese origin. Following his election, several Japanese and Japanese-Peruvians were targeted by guerrilla groups, including the Shining Path and the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA). On December 17, 1996, 14 MRTA members stormed the Japanese Ambassador's residence in Lima during a celebration of Japanese Emperor Akihito's 63rd birthday, taking more than 400 hostages. The Japanese embassy hostage crisis lasted until April 22, 1997, when Peruvian commandos stormed the residence, killing all 14 insurgents. Supreme court judge Carlos Giusti and two soldiers died in the operation.
In November 2000, President Fujimori traveled to Brunei for the 12th APEC summit, then flew to Japan and faxed his resignation amid a corruption scandal. Japan granted him citizenship based on his Japanese origins. The Peruvian government requested his extradition on 20 criminal charges, but Japan refused to extradite one of its citizens, temporarily straining relations. In 2006, Fujimori left Japan for Chile, where he was arrested while attempting to return to Peru.
In the 1990s, Japan amended its immigration law to allow Dekasegi (people of Japanese origin born abroad) to return and obtain permanent residency. Approximately 60,000 Peruvians of Japanese descent moved to Japan, making them the second largest Latin American community in Japan after Brazilians.
21st Century
In 2013, Japan and Peru celebrated 140 years of diplomatic relations. In 2023, the two countries marked the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. In November 2024, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited Peru and met with President Dina Boluarte, where both leaders adopted a Joint Statement and a Road Map (2024–2033) to strengthen the Strategic Partnership, which had been in place since 2016.
High-Level Visits
From Japan to Peru:
- Prince Takahito (1958)
- Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi (1959)
- Crown Prince Akihito (1963, 1967)
- Prime Minister Zenkō Suzuki (1982)
- Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (1996, 1997)
- Prime Minister Tarō Asō (2008)
- Prince Masahito (2009)
- Prince Fumihito (2014)
- Prime Minister Shinzō Abe (2016)
- Princess Mako (2019)
- Princess Kako (2023)
- Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (2024)
From Peru to Japan:
- President Manuel Prado Ugarteche (1961)
- President Alberto Fujimori (1992, 1995)
- President Alan García (2008, 2009, 2010)
- President Ollanta Humala (2012)
- President Dina Boluarte (2025)
Bilateral Agreements
Japan and Peru have signed several bilateral agreements, including:
- Trade and Financial Agreement (1949)
- Agreement on the elimination of visas (1971)
- Technical Cooperation Agreement (1979)
- Cooperation Agreement on Agriculture Development (1987)
- Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA, in force since 2012)
- Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments (2008)
- Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation (in force since 2021)
- Memorandum on Defense Cooperation and Exchanges (2024)
Trade and Economic Relations
In 2025, bilateral trade totaled approximately US$6.5 billion. Japan's main exports to Peru include automobiles, auto parts, tires, and steel. Peru's main exports to Japan include copper, liquefied natural gas, zinc, and tin. Japanese direct investment in Peru in 2025 amounted to US$238 million. Major Japanese companies operating in Peru include Honda, Sony, Toshiba, and Toyota.
Nikkei Community
Peru has the third largest Nikkei (Japanese diaspora) community in the world, with an estimated 200,000 people of Japanese descent. Conversely, the Peruvian community in Japan, numbering more than 50,000 people, is the largest Spanish-speaking community in Japan. These communities serve as a significant bridge between the two countries.
Resident Diplomatic Missions
- Japan maintains an embassy in Lima.
- Peru maintains an embassy in Tokyo, as well as consulates-general in Tokyo and Nagoya.
