Japan’s First-Ever Conviction for Illegal Organ Trafficking Shines a Light on Forced Organ Harvesting

In a landmark ruling, a Japanese court has convicted a non-profit executive of facilitating illegal overseas organ transplants for Japanese citizens. On Nov. 28, the Tokyo District Court sentenced 63-year-old Hiromichi Kikuchi, chairman of the Association for Patients of Intractable Diseases, a non-profit organization. Kikuchi received an eight-month prison term and a fine of 1 million yen (around $6,800) for arranging organ transplants abroad for two Japanese citizens without government approval. His organization, which has been working with transplant patients for over fifteen years, is now under scrutiny. The case, the first of its kind in Japan, has prompted widespread media coverage and heightened concerns over illegal organ transplants....