Achi news desk-
TOKYO –
In the week since a line of Japanese health supplements began to be recalled, five people have died and more than 100 people were hospitalized as of Friday.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. became of Osaka under fire for not going public quickly with problems identified internally as early as January. The first public announcement came on March 22.
Company officials said 114 people were treated in hospital after taking products, including Benikoji Choleste Help which is supposed to lower cholesterol, which contains an ingredient called benikoji, a red species of mold. Earlier in the week, the number of deaths was two people.
Some people developed kidney problems after taking the supplements, but the exact cause was still being investigated in collaboration with government laboratories, according to the manufacturer.
“We apologize profusely,” President Akihiro Kobayashi told reporters on Friday, bowing for a long time to emphasize the apology alongside three other top company officials.
He expressed regret to those who have died and are sick, and to their families. He also apologized for the trouble caused to the entire health food industry and the medical profession, adding that the company was working to prevent further damage and improve crisis management.
The company’s products have been recalled – as well as dozens of other products containing benikoji, including miso paste, crackers and vinegar dressing. Japan’s health ministry posted a list on its official website of all recalled products, including some that use benikoji for food coloring.
The ministry warned that the deaths could continue to grow. The supplements could be bought in drugstores without a doctor’s prescription, and some may have been bought or exported before the recall, including by tourists who may not be aware of the health risks.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical had been selling benikoji products for years, with one million packs sold over the last three financial years, but a problem arose with the supplements produced in 2023. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said it produced 18.5 tonnes of benikoji last year .
Some analysts blame the recent deregulation initiatives, which simplified and accelerated approval for health products to spur economic growth.
