Japan Rejects Bobby Fischer's Deportation Appeal, AP Reports
July 28 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese immigration officials today rejected former chess champion Bobby Fischer's appeal of a decision to deport him for trying to travel on an invalid U.S. passport, the Associated Press reported.

Fischer is wanted in the U.S. on charges of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by flying to Yugoslavia to play Boris Spassky in a chess match in 1992. U.S. citizens at that time were forbidden from involvement in business or commercial activities in Yugoslavia because of the violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Fischer, the only American to hold the world chess title, was detained by officials at the Narita airport outside Tokyo two weeks ago. Fischer considers the detention a ``kidnapping,'' AP cited John Bosnitch, an adviser to Fischer, as saying.

Fischer, 61, has until Friday to take the appeal to Japan's justice minister, and can also seek a court injunction. Japanese immigration officials refused to comment on the case, AP said.

(AP, 7-28)