A professor at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Medicine has been arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes related to a joint research project. Shinichi Sato, 62, allegedly received entertainment worth about ¥1.8 million from March 2023 to August 2024 in exchange for favors on the project involving plant cannabinoids. Police are also investigating the association representative and a former associate professor involved.
Tokyo police arrested Shinichi Sato, a 62-year-old professor from the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Medicine, on Saturday, January 24, 2026, on suspicion of bribery linked to a joint research project.
The project, proposed by a cosmetic firms association in September 2022 and launched in April 2023, focused on investigating the efficacy of plant cannabinoids from cannabis plants for treating skin diseases and other conditions. Sato, residing in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, held a key position in determining the project's direction and content.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department's Second Investigation Division, in February 2023—just before the project started—Sato dined with the association's 52-year-old representative and a 46-year-old former specially appointed associate professor at the graduate school. After having his meal expenses covered, Sato began demanding entertainment approximately twice a month at high-end clubs and brothels. The entertainment, totaling about ¥1.8 million over roughly 30 sessions from March 2023 to around August 2024, escalated to include brothels starting around April 2024.
It has not been disclosed whether Sato has admitted to the charges. The MPD is conducting voluntary interviews with the association representative, believed to have provided the bribes, and the former associate professor, who allegedly received entertainment alongside Sato.
The University of Tokyo runs such joint research initiatives with funding from private entities to address matters of significant public importance. This case raises concerns about integrity in academic collaborations.