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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ex-Official Denies Guilt In Aids Infections

Compiled From Wire Services

A former health ministry official pleaded innocent Wednesday to professional negligence in failing to stop the sale of untreated blood products that caused thousands of AIDS infections in Japan.

Akihito Matsumura was director of the health ministry division that handled blood products from 1984 to 1986, when he allegedly allowed the untreated blood products to be used even though he knew of their risks.

Matsumura and the others are accused of barring the import of heat-treated blood products until 1985 to allow Japanese companies to come up with their own technology.

About 2,000 Japanese, mostly hemophiliacs, contracted the AIDS virus from the untreated products, and about 400 have died.