The head of the plastic surgery division of Chukyo Hospital in Nagoya was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of operating a clinic in the city of Okazaki without proper permission from authorities.

Aichi Prefectural Police arrested Shintaro Asai, 50, for allegedly violating the Medical Care Law by operating the cosmetic surgery clinic, Marii Clinic Okazaki Office, between April 2012 and June 2013.

Police also arrested Hiroaki Harima, 42, whose occupation was unknown, and Minae Suzuki, 46, the de facto owner of the clinic, in connection with the facility. Suzuki has already been arrested and indicted for engaging in hair removal operations without a doctor's license.

The suspects have all denied any wrongdoing.

According to the prefectural police, for someone to open a clinic without a doctor's license, one needs to apply for and get permission from prefectural and municipal governments. A licensed doctor, on the other hand, needs to only report opening a clinic, as no permission is required.

Suzuki allegedly asked Harima to find a doctor who could lend her a name so she can open the Okazaki clinic easily, and Harima introduced Asai, the plastic surgeon, to Suzuki, police said. Asai agreed to be registered as the doctor working full-time at the clinic, even though he didn't work there in that capacity.

Katsunori Morita, an official at Chukyo Hospital, said the hospital will cooperate fully with the police investigation and take action once all the facts are determined.