In the week since a series of Japanese health supplement products began being recalled, five people have died and more than 100 people were hospitalized as of Friday (29/3).
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. The Osaka-based company has come under fire for not immediately announcing problems it discovered internally in early January. The first public announcement was made on March 22.
Company officials said 114 people were hospitalized after consuming products, including Benikoji Choleste Help intended to lower cholesterol, which contained an ingredient called benikoji, a type of red fungus. Earlier this week, the number of deaths increased by two people.
Some people have experienced kidney problems after taking the supplement, but the exact cause is still being investigated, according to the manufacturer, with the involvement of government laboratories.
President of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. Akihiro Kobayashi (second from left) along with several top company officials, bows at the start of a press conference in Osaka, March 29, 2024. (JIJI Press / AFP)
“We apologize deeply,” said Akihiro Kobayashi, president of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. told reporters on Friday (29/3), while bowing for a long time to emphasize the apology along with three other high-ranking company officials.
He expressed his regret to those who died and were sick, as well as to their families. He also apologized for the trouble this has caused to the entire health food industry and the medical profession, adding that the company is working to quickly address the issue.
President of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. Akihiro Kobayashi answers questions during a press conference in Osaka, March 29, 2024. (JIJI Press/AFP)
The company's products have been recalled, as have dozens of other products containing benikoji, including miso paste, biscuits and vinegar sauce. Japan's Ministry of Health posted a list on its official website of all recalled products, including some products that use benikoji as a food coloring.
The ministry warned the death toll could continue to rise. The supplements can be purchased in drug stores without a doctor's prescription, and some may have been purchased or exported before the recall, including by tourists who may have been unaware of the health risks.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has been selling benikoji products for years, with one million packets sold over the past three fiscal years, but problems emerged with supplements produced in 2023. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said it produced 18.5 tons of benikoji last year.
Some analysts blame recent deregulation initiatives, which simplify and speed up approval of health products, to spur economic growth. (ab/lt)