Last Sunday, Jan 19, 2014, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was denied entry to Japan and subsequently deported. While not only an inconvenience, it most certainly was an embarrassment for a man whose arrogance and sense of entitlement now reaches all the way to Japan.

As is the case in Malaysia, entering Japan is not automatically the right of a person of foreign nationality. Rather, permission to enter Malaysia, Japan or any other country for that matter is at the discretion of the receiving country. To say otherwise, as Anwar has done, is not only foolish but unbecoming.  

With this in mind, let’s give Anwar’s statement a whirl and hold him accountable to some inconvenient truths? Anwar said: “I arrived at Narita International Airport at 6.45 this morning from Kuala Lumpur but was barred from entry by the Japanese immigration authorities and was told to board the first flight back home or face deportation.”

Anwar is correct in saying he was barred. Japanese immigration authorities would have taken him into an immigration interview room and eventually informed him he was not permitted to enter Japan. “Told to board the first flight back home“, was in fact deportation. He did not face deportation. He was deported. He would not have exited the terminal to check-in for his return flight. Rather, he would have been escorted onto the plane immediately.

Anwar says:  “When I asked why I was not allowed to enter, they told me that it was because of my previous conviction in 1999. I told them this could not be a valid reason on account of the fact that prior to this I had already entered Tokyo without hindrance on three previous occasions in 2006, 2009, and 2012.”

On the Japanese ‘Embarkation/Disembarkation Card for Foreigner’, given to you on the plane before arrival, there is the following question: “Have you ever been found guilty in a criminal case in Japan or in another country?”

If he was honest and answered ‘Yes’ then Article 5 section 4 of the Japanese Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition act would come into play:  Article 5 - Any alien who falls under any of the following items shall be denied permission for landing in Japan.

Section 4 - A person who has been convicted of a violation of any law or regulation of Japan, or of any other country, and has been sentenced to imprisonment with or without work for one year or more, or to an equivalent penalty.

In short, his previous conviction, regardless of Anwar entering in 2006, 2009 and 2012, is in fact a valid reason for him being refused entry to Japan. Furthermore, if he was honest and answered ‘Yes’ upon his arrival his three times previous, then this would have served as an automatic red-flag and a sure fire subsequent interview.

Therefore, it seems highly suspect that he entered Japan in 2006, 2009 and 2012 “without hindrance”. Unless, of course, he said ‘No’ on his entry card. Of real importance here is that Japanese immigration officers have the legal right to deny entry to anyone without explanation.

Anwar says: “I told the immigration authorities there must be some mix-up in this matter and protested that it was not proper for them to bar me from entering the country without a bona fide and valid reason. As I persisted in asking for an explanation, they finally told me that they had to take this action “because of a latest report” possibly in 2013.”

First, Japanese immigration authorities do not need a “bona fide and valid reason” to deny entry. Again and it is worth repeating given Anwar’s arrogance and sense of entitlement: Entering Japan is not the right of any foreign national. And that includes him. Japanese immigration officers have the legal right to deny entry to anyone without explanation. And that also includes him.

Doesn’t pass the sniff test

Second, since he has a conviction on his record then this is a “bona fide and valid reason”, despite his gaining entry in 2006, 2009 and 2012, to deny entry. No mix-up here I’m afraid. Third, so let’s get this straight. Anwar persisted in asking for an explanation and “they finally told me they had to take this action because of a latest report in 2013”.

He seems to suggest that “they” didn’t want to but reluctantly had to deny his entry “because of a latest report”. This just does not pass the sniff test. First of all, Japanese immigration officers are not in the business of disclosing why or why not someone was denied entry.  In fact, under Japanese law immigration officers do not have to provide any justification criteria or reason for the denial of entry to a foreign national.

Japanese immigration officers, or government officials for that matter, do not give in easily. Let alone to provide such a wishy-washy explanation, that Anwar just happens to use the all too predictable argument of “Hidden Hands” at work. Anwar says: “I then had no choice but to take the next flight home at 10.45am.” Indeed, there was no choice.

Anwar says: “I had gone to Tokyo on a personal invitation by Mr Sasakawa, chairperson of the Nippon Foundation, to present a paper on Muslim Democrats. As a routine pre-travel procedure, my office had made inquiries with the Japanese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur last week and was informed that there would be no issues outstanding which would be an impediment to my entering the country.”

I am not sure blaming the Japanese Embassy is at all fair. They could not possibly have foreseen nor be held accountable for what would happen on the ground with Japanese Immigration at Narita airport.

Anwar says: “I protest in the strongest terms this unwarranted action of the Japanese government in refusing me entry and denying my legitimate rights to travel freely without let or hindrance. It is indeed inconceivable for one of the world’s leading democracies to take this unprecedented action under such tenuous grounds and leaves me with the impression that hidden hands may be at work here.”

Unwarranted is a matter of personal opinion. Anwar’s stubborn arrogance and self-righteousness is nauseous. Anwar like every other foreigner does not have a “legitimate right to travel freely without let or hindrance” into Japan.  Entering Japan is not the right of a person of foreign nationality and the right to travel is at the discretion of the Japanese government and Japanese immigration.

By no means is what Japanese immigration authorities did unprecedented. To say this is just plain nonsense. Anwar says: “In this regard, I demand an explanation from the Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister, in particular, as to what role Wisma Putra has played in this scandalous episode in respect of the so-called “latest report” that has purportedly led to my being forcibly evicted from Japan."

Scandalous? Anwar is frustrated at the inconvenience caused. And even more so he is undeniably embarrassed. This is understandable. However, to claim “Hidden Hands” are at work is Anwar’s usual conspiracy theory nonsense. Why didn’t those same “Hidden Hands” ensure entry refusal the three previous visits to Japan? Or to any other country Anwar has visited.

It is becoming all too predictable of Anwar to ‘when in doubt’ blame the government.  He just loves playing the victim. Either way, I would be willing to bet a bag of kangkung that the Japanese would be none too pleased with Anwar’s insinuation that Japanese authorities would agree to Malaysian “Hidden Hands” requesting that they refuse entry to a foreign national. That is simply un-Japanese.

A man of the world that Anwar is should know this. A man that aspires to be our prime minister should behave better.    

HUAN CHENG GUAN is president of Centre for Political Awareness.