Japan's Beethoven insists he used to be deaf until three years ago

TOKYO: The fraudulent composer dubbed “Japan’s Beethoven” said he was “deeply ashamed” about his nearly two decades of deception, but insisted that he did use to be deaf.

Mamoru Samuragochi said his impairment had improved in recent times, but when he first paid part-time music school teacher Takashi Niigaki to pen works in his name, he had been unable to hear.