Once a Charismatic Professor? Arrest Over Bribery Reveals a Completely Different Side

A life of freeloading outside the university

Sitting in the backseat of a police car, peeking outside with only one eye open, the man once called a charismatic professor showed no trace of dignity or authority.

On January 24, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Shinichi Sato (62), a professor of dermatology and physician at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, on suspicion of accepting bribes.

“According to investigative sources, Sato and his subordinate, former special-appointed associate professor Ayumu Yoshizaki (46), allegedly received entertainment and hospitality totaling more than 4.6 million yen, including meals. Sato alone is accused of receiving about 1.8 million yen worth of hospitality. On January 26, Koichi Hikichi (52), representative director of the Japan Cosmetic Association in Kishiwada, Osaka, who collaborated on joint research, was sent documents to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on suspicion of giving bribes worth approximately 3.8 million yen.” (National newspaper social affairs reporter)

Sato and Yoshizaki allegedly received hospitality—including visits to upscale clubs and around 30 visits to high-end soaplands totaling about 3.8 million yen—from Hikichi between March 2023 and August 2024 in exchange for favors related to running a “Social Collaboration Lecture” on the efficacy of cannabis components for skin disorders. Additionally, hospitality at high-end restaurants brought the total to more than 4.6 million yen.

“In the January 27 issue of Weekly SPA!, Hikichi told the magazine that the total amount spent on hospitality over 17 months—including suits and gifts—reached about 30 million yen. During that time, Sato allegedly made quasi-threatening remarks, and in May 2025, filed a lawsuit against the University of Tokyo, Sato, and Yoshizaki for damages,” the reporter added.

Sato graduated from the University of Tokyo Medical School in 1989 and began working as a dermatology assistant. He earned his medical doctorate in 1994, studied at Duke University in the U.S., and held positions such as assistant professor at Kanazawa University before becoming a professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate School in 2009. Known as an authority in scleroderma research, he received the University of Tokyo Hospital Director’s Award in 2021 and was considered a charismatic figure in the medical school.

However, outside the university, it appears that a life of freeloading had become routine. This incident, involving a charismatic professor at the University of Tokyo, is a major scandal that shakes the entire institution and is likely to have significant social repercussions. The severity of the charges is still under scrutiny.

Expected sentence

For example, in January 2021, a former professor at Mie University Hospital was charged with third-party bribery and fraud for accepting cash of 4 million yen from pharmaceutical and medical device companies in exchange for facilitating deliveries. In January 2023, he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, suspended for 4 years (prosecution had sought 4 years).

Attorney Koichiro Matsui of Atom Law Office commented:

“While defense strategies may have some influence, in this case, a suspended sentence is highly likely. It is true that continuous entertainment at high-end clubs and sexual services (not one-off), the large amount received, and the fact that the defendant leveraged his position as a University of Tokyo professor to compromise the fairness of his duties and public trust are significant factors that could justify an actual prison sentence.

On the other hand, the suspect has no prior criminal record, has already faced significant social sanction due to media coverage, and at trial will likely present character witnesses and expressions of remorse—all of which are mitigating factors. Therefore, a suspended sentence remains the more probable outcome.”

On January 28, Teruo Fujii, president of the University of Tokyo, held an extraordinary press conference, stating:

“Mr. Sato’s actions are a serious breach of the ethical standards required of faculty members, and we have issued the most severe disciplinary action, dismissal with the strictest reprimand.”

The upcoming trial will reveal what explanations or statements Sato himself will offer from the defendant’s seat.