Doctor held in fake disability scam

SAPPORO--Police arrested a medical doctor here Thursday on suspicion of fraud, saying he issued 12 false diagnosis certificates that allowed recipients to falsely claim disability pensions.

The scam between December 2002 and October 2006 enabled 12 "patients" to defraud the government of 47.43 million yen in benefits between 2003 and 2008 by pretending to be hearing-impaired.

Yoshiaki Maeda, 74, who runs an ear and nose clinic, apparently issued the false certificates knowing the patients had no hearing problems.

Police also arrested Kiyoshi Koda, 67, of Sapporo, and Fumio Yoneta, 60, of Ashibetsu, also in Hokkaido, in connection with the scam. (IHT/Asahi: June 12,2009)