Tatsunori Iwamura is a professor at the Matsuyama University, in the prefecture of Ehime, Japan whom demonstrated to his students majoring in pharmaceutical studies to make a chemical substance generally known as ecstasy or MDMA, and the drug 5f-QUPIC. These substances are similar to cannabis that was made illegal in Japan since 2014, because it caused road accidents in the country. The motive of the professor was to enhance their knowledge on the topic of pharmaceuticals.
Walter White
Interestingly, Iwamura has been compared to the chemistry teacher called Walter White, in the TV series titled Breaking Bad. White begins to produce crystal meth to earn money after he was diagnosed with a type of lung cancer that is not amenable to surgery.
Imamura showed the students to make MDMA, although the concerned regional authorities have not granted him a license to make this chemical substance for academic purposes, as stipulated by the Japanese government. Later it was explained that he had indeed a license issued by the government but it had expired.
Students and Asst. Professor Involved
According to the university, eleven former students taught by Imamura's came under the suspicion of the authorities for engaging themselves in the production of banned drugs. In fact, four of the students, together with an assistant professor are being investigated by public prosecutors. Matsuyama University is presently looking for ways to check such incidents.
Drug enforcement officials who got a tip off from a person from outside the Matsuyama University did not find any ecstasy during searches of Imamura's home or laboratory at the university's college of pharmaceutical sciences.
Although the prosecutors could not find the drugs they were alleged to produce, small traces of many other such drugs were found in Imamura's laboratory a part of the college of pharmaceutical studies at the university. The President of the university Tatsuya Mizogami stated that the university intends to pursue disciplinary proceedings against Imamura as also the assistant professor after a systematic investigation. Incidentally, the assistant professor is yet to be identified.
Imamura Admits His Complicity
As to Imamura, he informed the authorities that all the ecstasy drug experiments that occurred during the period of 2011 - 2017, were undertaken purely with a view to advance learning. Further, he confessed that he knew full well that making the drug without a license was not legal.
