Japanese authorities arrested Jintatsu Kikuchi on suspicion of illegally brokering paid kidney transplants in Cambodia and receiving over 45 million yen [2].
The case highlights the persistence of "transplant tourism," where patients travel abroad to bypass strict domestic organ donation laws through illicit payment schemes.
Kikuchi, 66, is the former director of a non-profit organization and the actual manager of the International Medical Consultation Office [1]. He was arrested in Tsuzuki Ward, Yokohama, on July 7 [2]. Investigators believe Kikuchi arranged for kidney transplants in Cambodia and collected large sums from patients under the guise of gratitude payments [3].
According to police reports, Kikuchi received money from five patients [5], totaling more than 45 million yen [2]. Specific transactions include 8.5 million yen from a man in his 60s living in Chiba Prefecture [1], and 9.36 million yen from another patient [4]. Some reports suggest he was involved in four transplants over a period of nearly one year [2].
Police suspect the funds were used to repay personal debts [3]. When questioned about the legality of his actions, Kikuchi said, "It is legal because there is a referral from a medical institution" [2].
An investigator from the Metropolitan Police Department said, "We arrested him on suspicion of violating the Organ Transplant Law" [3]. The investigation continues to determine the full scale of the brokerage operation and whether other medical professionals were complicit in the scheme [3].
“"It is legal because there is a referral from a medical institution"”
This arrest underscores the legal risks associated with organ transplant tourism and the exploitation of patients in desperate medical need. By operating through a consultation office, the suspect attempted to lend a veneer of legitimacy to a practice that violates Japan's Organ Transplant Law, which prohibits the sale or purchase of organs. The use of 'gratitude payments' is a common tactic to disguise illegal brokerage fees as voluntary gifts.
