Overview

• Four deaths and over 100 hospitalizations in Japan linked to Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's red yeast rice supplements.
• Recalls issued for a wide range of products containing 'beni koji', including health supplements, sake, and food items.
• Japanese government and health ministry investigating, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promising to take necessary measures.
• Kobayashi Pharmaceutical supplied red yeast rice to around 50 firms in Japan and two in Taiwan, raising international concerns.
• No specific cause identified yet, but the presence of an unintended ingredient and the potential for organ damage are under scrutiny.