Japan supplement deaths suspected to be linked to outside mold

188 hospitalized after taking red yeast rice pill from Kobayashi Pharmaceutical

Japan's health ministry reports that 188 people were hospitalized as of April 3 after taking Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's red yeast rice dietary supplements. (Photo by Koji Uema)

KENTA ANDO, NEO JIMBO and AYA TAKAHASHI, Nikkei staff writers

April 5, 2024 05:01 JST

OSAKA/TOKYO -- The red yeast rice dietary supplements linked to five deaths in Japan may have been contaminated by mold from outside the factory during production, experts say, based on the latest information.