The University of Tokyo apologized on Wednesday for a series of corruption cases involving faculty at its medical school and affiliated hospital. President Teruo Fujii expressed deep regret for undermining societal trust and announced the dismissal of Professor Shinichi Sato from the Graduate School of Medicine.
The University of Tokyo held a news conference on January 29, 2026, to formally apologize for a series of bribery scandals at its medical school and affiliated hospital. President Teruo Fujii stated, “We have significantly undermined society’s trust in us, and I deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart.”
At the center of the scandals is 62-year-old Professor Shinichi Sato from the Graduate School of Medicine, who also works as a dermatologist at the hospital. He was indicted for allegedly accepting high-value entertainment services at luxury clubs and brothels. The university dismissed him on Monday.
Internal investigations uncovered 22 violations of the university's ethical code, with three involving excessive sums of money. Disciplinary actions are under consideration for those involved. Fujii attributed the corruption to “a lack of ethics among faculty, a lack of auditing and the closed organizational nature of the medical school and university hospital.”
The incidents highlight institutional governance failures. It remains unclear whether the university's eligibility for the government's ¥10 trillion university fund will be affected. Keywords such as cosmetics and the Japan Cosmetic Association suggest possible links, though details are not specified. The university has pledged to strengthen ethics training and auditing processes moving forward.
