Thaksin Shinawatra's visit to Japan has prompted angry protests in Bangkok Thailand's ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is visiting Japan despite protests in Thailand, where he still has to serve a two-year jail sentence. The Thai opposition criticised Japan for granting a visa to Mr Thaksin, who lives in self-imposed exile, despite his conviction for abuse of power.
They said Japanese officials had been influenced by the recent election win of Mr Thaksin's youngest sister.
Yingluck Shinawatra leads a six-party coalition which dominates parliament.
The authorities in Tokyo usually refuse to grant visas to people still to serve time for criminal convictions, which should have ruled out Mr Thaksin's request.
Mr Thaksin - whose populist policies won him the support of much of the rural and urban poor - was forced from office in a 2006 military coup.
He now lives in exile in Dubai, and is seen as the de facto leader of his sister's governing Pheu Thai party - although the party maintains his role is purely advisory.
'No formal role'Mr Thaksin's advisers have tried to paint the trip to Japan as strictly a personal matter.
A spokesman described the visit as "just one of a number of visits that ex-world leaders make".
He said Mr Thaksin had no plans to return to Thailand "until things are settled there" and that he "has no formal role in the new government even as some kind of unofficial envoy".
But the BBC's Guy De Launey in Bangkok says few people are convinced as the former prime minister's plans look more like those of a statesman than a private individual.
Mr Thaksin will visit areas of Japan devastated by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami during his week-long visit.
He is also expected to give a speech at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.
Mr Thaksin's opponents have accused the new government of applying political influence to enable the ousted leader's visit, starting legal action against both individual ministers and the governing party.
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