University of Tokyo Apologizes for Corruption Cases, Announces Firing of Professor

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:58 JST, January 29, 2026

The University of Tokyo apologized Wednesday for a series of corruption cases involving faculty at its medical school and affiliated hospital.

“We have significantly undermined society’s trust in us, and I deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart,” President Teruo Fujii said at a press conference.

The university also announced disciplinary actions, including the dismissal on Monday of Professor Shinichi Sato of the Graduate School of Medicine, who was arrested on suspicion of taking bribes.

Corruption was caused by “a lack of ethics among faculty, a lack of auditing and the closed organizational nature of the medical school and university hospital,” Fujii said, adding that the university’s internal investigations found 22 violations of its ethical code. Three of these cases involved with excessive sums of money, and the university is considering disciplinary actions against those involved.