Having reached judicial settlement on the libel suit in which RIKEN was charged with defamation in relation to a case of fraudulent papers and statements made at a subsequent press conference, RIKEN has agreed to delete from its official website both the Japanese and English December 24, 2004 press releases entitled, "Publication of Fraudulent Research Papers by RIKEN Researchers".

The press releases in question stated that "Independent Administrative Institution RIKEN (hereafter referred to as RIKEN) investigated the publication of three fraudulent research papers by RIKEN researchers, and found evidence of data falsification in these papers. Consequently, RIKEN advised the researchers concerned (two corresponding authors of the papers, now former RIKEN employees) to retract the published papers from their publishers."

The plaintiff has acknowledged that in one of the three papers in question there was inappropriate representation, such as modification of experimental data. In regard to the two other papers, a similar charge of libel was made against RIKEN by another of the former researchers involved in the case, and in that court case, it was judged that there was falsification in parts and a high probability of falsification in other parts, and the plaintiff in the current case has acknowledged bearing responsibility as the corresponding author for this falsification. Given these circumstances, RIKEN believes it was correct to demand that the three papers be retracted and that there was no error in its press release.

Nevertheless, it is RIKEN's view that the current case of libel came about because statements were made concerning this case, at the press conference held by RIKEN and elsewhere, which could have been taken to suggest that the plaintiff played an active role in the falsification of data, and as a result of these statements the case was reported by the press as if the plaintiff had been directly involved in the falsification.

RIKEN will continue to maintain a strict stance against all forms of research misconduct. In the event that similar cases should arise in the future, RIKEN is likely to take such strict measures as demanding the retraction of papers and publicizing the wrongdoing. As regards press conferences and other such forums, however, RIKEN will make every effort to refrain from making any kind of statement that may be misinterpreted.

The following are the main points of the terms of the judicial agreement.

1	(1)	The plaintiff acknowledges that the use of 3β-HSD with GFP was not clearly stated in the paper, "Proplatelet formation of megakaryocytes is triggered by autocrine-synthesized estradiol," published in Genes & Development 17, 2864-2869 (2003) (hereinafter Research Paper 1), and that it was inappropriate to include a figure in which an experimental data band had been erased.
	(2)	The defendant does not object to the plaintiff's taking appropriate measures to publicly announce that there were no errors in the conclusions drawn in Research Paper 1.
2	(1)	The plaintiff acknowledges responsibility as the corresponding author, and expresses sincere regret to the defendant, for the falsification of part of experimental data in the paper, "Regulation of APC Activity by Phosphorylation and Regulatory Factors," published in the Journal of Cell Biology, 146, 791-800 (1999) (hereinafter Research Paper 2), and in the paper, "PKA and MPF-Activated Polo-like Kinase Regulate Anaphase-Promoting Complex Activity and Mitosis Progression," published in Molecular Cell, 1, 371-380 (1998) (hereinafter Research Paper 3).
	(2)	The defendant acknowledges that it was inappropriate, and expresses sincere regret to the plaintiff, to hold a press conference and to post on the defendant's website a statement in which the impression was given that the plaintiff was actively involved in the falsifications of Research Papers 2 and 3 above.
3	(1)	The defendant shall delete, within one week of this Settlement taking effect, both the Japanese and English press releases, "Publication of Fraudulent Research Papers by RIKEN Researchers" posted on the defendant's official website (URLs: http://www.riken.jp/r-world/info/release/press/2004/041224/index.html and http://www.riken.jp/r-world/info/release/press/2004/041224/index_e.html).
	(2)	For two weeks after the deletion stipulated in the above clause, the defendant shall post in a notice space created on the top page of its official website for that purpose the statement in Japanese and English, "The December 24, 2004, press release has been deleted," and for 3 years after the deletion stipulated in the above clause, the defendant shall continue to post on the URLs given above, the statement, in Japanese and English, "The December 24, 2004, press release, 'Publication of Fraudulent Research Papers by RIKEN Researchers,' has been deleted upon the judicial settlement of all parties involved."