Shock waves ran through Japan in November after it was revealed that revered amateur archaeologist Shinichi Fujimura had planted findings of early Paleolithic relics at two of his dig sites.
The anguish has since compounded among the nation's archaeological circles, officials at the Cultural Agency and concerned local governments, many of whom now doubt the veracity of other Fujimura findings.
And the process of proving the authenticity of the finds by Fujimura, who was once known as the "God hand," may take years.