Director and manager of dermatology clinic arrested

A joint investigation headquarters of Ginowan Police and Okinawa Prefectural Police Life and Safety Division led to the arrest, Wednesday, of 43-year-old Hideki Miyagi, the director of Hideki Aesthetic Dermatology Clinic, and 72-year-old Kimiko Miyagi, the head of a nursing home.

The two were arrested on suspicion of violating the Medical Practitioners Act, and are suspected of ordering their seven employees to do medical procedures of using laser equipment to remove blotches of patients’ skin and laser depilation. Both reportedly deny the charges.

This is reportedly the first time that persons operating a high-frequency laser treatment clinic have been arrested. During the joint investigation, police seized medical record cards from the clinic and from the house of the suspects in a search in November last year. Kimioko Miyagi, the mother of Hideki, seems to have taken part in managing the clinic. Police are continuing their investigation into the case as they suspect that the seven employees have also possibly broken the law.

The victims are 10 women in their 20’s to 60’s living in middle and southern part of Okinawa. They underwent altogether 25 treatments at the clinic. A woman in her 30’s who received treatment in April 2015 suffered a burn.

The clinic opened in March 2012, and it has treated more than 1,900 patients.