Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, a household name in Japan, is at the centre of health fears linked to its over-the-counter tablets containing red yeast rice, which is fermented with a mould culture.
According to Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, the number of deaths that need to be investigated in connection with the consumption of its supplements reached 101 as of Sunday, including four people that the company announced in March that had died after taking its dietary supplements with red yeast rice, or beni-koji.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said president Akihiro Kobayashi and chairman Kazumasa Kobayashi were leaving their posts. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s new president is Satoshi Yamane, previously head of sustainability policy, the company said.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical became aware of the reports of health problems in mid-January. But it did not publicly disclose facts until late March. The Osaka-based pharmaceutical giant also released an investigation report over its handling of the issue, acknowledging delays in alerting consumers to potential risks and recalling their products.