Japan plans to issue a special entry permit to former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been in exile following a military coup in 2006, a report said Friday.
The new Thai government of Yingluck Shinawatra, a younger sister of Thaksin, who took office on Monday, has requested the permit from Tokyo, Kyodo news agency reported, quoting Japanese government sources.
Thaksin, who served as Thai prime minister between 2001 and 2006 before being deposed in the coup, has been living in exile in Dubai to escape a two-year jail term from a corruption conviction.
Thaksin hopes to visit Japan August 22-28 with the main purpose of touring northeastern areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Kyodo said.
Japan does not allow the entry of anyone who has been found guilty of a crime and given a jail term of more than one year but the justice minister can make exceptions.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference earlier in the day that Tokyo had received a request from Thaksin for the issuance of an entry permit.
"We must have thorough discussions with the Thai government on this matter," the top government spokesman said.
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