Corruption at University of Tokyo Hospital: Don’t Let Reforms be Merely for Show

Editorial

15:24 JST, April 23, 2026

In response to a spate of corruption scandals at its hospital, the University of Tokyo has announced specific reform measures. Can it root out organizational malpractice and restore public trust? The real test lies ahead.

The cornerstone of the reform is to sever the hospital from the Faculty of Medicine and place it under the direct control of the university’s administration. The aim is to ensure that the school’s administration can quickly identify and address any issues that arise.

In November last year, an associate professor at the medical department was arrested on suspicion of taking a bribe after accepting a donation from a Tokyo-based medical device manufacturer in exchange for introducing the company’s products.

In January, a professor at the university’s Graduate School of Medicine was arrested on suspicion of taking a bribe. In exchange for providing preferential treatment in a joint dermatology research project with a private organization, he had been entertained by that organization at high-end hostess clubs and establishments offering sexual services.

The professor and associate professor were dismissed from the university as a disciplinary measure.

In response to the string of scandals, the university established an independent committee to review the school’s handling of the situation.

According to the committee’s report, the university has a siloed organizational structure, and there was an organizational culture in which misconduct was allowed to persist because laboratories and faculty members remained indifferent to one another even when they were aware of problems.

Regarding the incident involving the joint dermatology research project, the university became aware of the issue in September 2024 following a report from a concerned party. However, citing a request from the police to refrain from questioning those involved, the university did not conduct an internal investigation for seven months.

At a meeting held at the university around that time, there was a discussion about the professor receiving entertainment at establishments offering sexual services. One of the participants in the meeting said, “I’ve heard that the purpose was to investigate sexually transmitted infections,” and it is said that no faculty members objected to this statement.

The third-party committee criticized the university for lacking the ability to regulate itself and a sense of urgency.

It is surprising that insular logic prevailed and that remarks defying common sense were simply tolerated.

At a press conference announcing future reform measures, Teruo Fujii, president of the university, said, “The fact that the response was slow to materialize constitutes a serious governance failure.”

Other reform measures include conducting reviews involving external experts when funds are received from the private sector, with the aim of enhancing transparency. The university plans to have external experts assess whether reforms are being implemented effectively and to publish the results periodically.

The government has designated “Universities for International Research Excellence” and is encouraging cutting-edge research through targeted financial support. The University of Tokyo also applied for this designation, but its application is currently on hold pending further review. If the university is to receive substantial public funding, it is essential that it be a trustworthy organization.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 23, 2026)