Tokyo Police Seize Patient List from NPO in Organ Transplant Probe
![](https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/20230209G0TG0TJ9990473-1-e1675928946814.jpg)
Hiromichi Kikuchi, director of the Intractable Disease Patient Support Association, is sent to prosecutors on Thursday in Taito Ward, Tokyo.
2:00 JST, February 10, 2023
The Metropolitan Police Department seized a document with the names of 150 patients from the Intractable Disease Patient Support Association as part of an investigation into alleged unauthorized arrangements of organ transplants by the Tokyo-based nonprofit organization, according to investigative sources.
The director of the NPO Hiromichi Kikuchi, 62, is suspected of arranging overseas organ transplants without permission from the Health, Labor, and Welfare ministry.
In addition to a Tokyo man in his 40s who received a liver transplant in Minsk allegedly with the assistance of the NPO in February 2022, two other Japanese patients are believed to have undergone surgeries in Belarus last year, according to the sources.
One of the patients was a man in his 50s who received a kidney transplant in July, the other was a man in his 40s who received a kidney and liver transplant in September, the sources said.
Police believe the three patients received organs from deceased donors.
The NPO has allegedly arranged transplants from living donors before, including a kidney transplant from a donor in Kyrgyzstan.
However, the MPD investigation is believed to be focusing on the Belarus transplants because only cases involving organs from deceased donors are covered under regulations on transplant mediation.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Typhoon Shanshan Forms, Slowly Moves Toward Japan; Govt Says Typhoon No. 10 Likely to Approach Japan Next Week
-
Typhoon Ampil Approaching Japan
-
Shizuoka Pref. City Offers Foreigners Free Japanese Language Classes; Aims to Raise Non-Natives to Daily Conversation Level
-
Tokyo Companies Prepare for Ashfall From Mt. Fuji Eruption; Disposal Of Ash, Possibly at Sea, A Major Challenge
-
Typhoon No. 10 Forecast to Develop; Move into Pacific Ocean South of Japan on Aug. 26
JN ACCESS RANKING