March 24 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. has urged Japan to hand over former world chess champion Bobby Fischer and not allow him to passage to Iceland, Kyodo news reported, citing U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli.

``There are outstanding charges against Mr. Fischer that we believe should be addressed in the United States,'' Ereli told reporters after Japan decided yesterday to release Fischer from eight months of detention without trial, the news agency said.

Japan is allowing Fischer to leave for Iceland, which granted him citizenship during his fight against deportation to the U.S., Kyodo reported.

Japanese authorities detained Fischer on July 13 last year at Narita airport, outside Tokyo, for allegedly carrying an invalid U.S. passport, the news agency said. Fischer has claimed his passport was illegally revoked.

(Kyodo, 3-24)

To contact the reporter on this story: Issei Morita in Tokyo at imorita@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: March 23, 2005 19:53 EST