Translation of the summary of the investigative report on misconducts by S. Kato lab formerly at the U. of Tokyo

The (first) investigative report on misconducts in former Kato laboratory at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences

The Committee on Research Activity Standards, The University of Tokyo

Summary
(1) This committee started the investigation on September 30th, 2013, made an interim report on December 26th of the same year in which we acknowledged the fact that up to 51 papers contained figures that were deemed to be scientifically inappropriate, and for the time being we have made the following rulings for four personnels.

• Mr. Shigeaki Kato managed the laboratory in an inappropriate manner to create an environment where misconducts would occur and took actions that are considered to be obstruction of the investigation.
• Mr. Jun Yanagisawa fabricated and falsified data in a paper in which he was the first author and took actions that are considered to be obstruction of the investigation.
• Mr. Hiroshi Kitagawa fabricated and falsified data in two of the four papers in which he was the first author and took actions that are considered to be obstruction of the investigation.
• Mr. Kenichi Takeyama followed the instructions of Mr. Shigeaki Kato and helped fabrication and falsification of data to avoid retraction of one paper from a journal and responded in an inappropriate manner in the course of the investigation.

(2) Of the 51 papers, we are still in the process of investigation of the papers other than the five papers that we have made our rulings on this time. However, it is our judgement that inappropriate management and supervisions by the four, namely Mr. Shgeaki Kato, the principal investigator, and the researchers who played central roles in the laboratory, Mr. Jun Yanagisawa, Mr. Hiroshi Kitagawa, and Mr. Kenichi Takeyama, were the main factors for the misconducts that could be found in those papers.

http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/public/documents/20140801_02.pdf

分子細胞生物学研究所・旧加藤研究室における論文不正に関する調査報告（第一次)

東京大学科学研究行動規範委員会

【要約】

(1) 本委員会は、平成２５年９月３０日に調査を開始し、科学的に不適切な図を含むと判断される論

文が５１報に上ったという事実を認定した中間報告を同年１２月２６日に行ったが、さしあたり４

名につき、次のような裁定を行った。

・加藤茂明氏は、不適切な研究室運営等により不正行為が発生する環境を作り上げたこと及び立証妨

害に相当する行為を行ったこと。

・栁澤純氏は、筆頭著者となる１報の論文において捏造・改ざんを行ったこと及び立証妨害に相当す

る行為を行ったこと。

・北川浩史氏は、筆頭著者である４報の論文の内、２報の論文において捏造・改ざんを行ったこと及

び立証妨害に相当する行為を行ったこと。

・武山健一氏は、加藤茂明氏の指示に従い１報の論文について学術誌からの撤回を回避するために捏

造・改ざんに協力したこと及び調査の過程で不適切な対応を行ったこと。

(2) ５１報の論文の内、今回不正行為を認定した５報の論文以外については、現在調査中であるが、

これらにありうる不正行為については、研究室の主宰者である加藤茂明氏のほか、同研究室におい

て中心的な役割を担っていた栁澤純氏、北川浩史氏及び武山健一氏の４名による不適切な研究室運

営や指導等が、その主たる要因となったと判断している。