TOKYO — Japanese authorities well being officers raided a manufacturing unit Saturday producing well being dietary supplements that they are saying have killed at the least 5 individuals and hospitalized greater than 100 others.

About a dozen individuals carrying darkish fits solemnly walked into the Osaka plant of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. within the raid proven broadly on Japanese TV information, together with public broadcaster NHK.

The firm says little is thought concerning the actual reason for the sicknesses, which embody kidney failure. An investigation into the merchandise is underway in cooperation with authorities well being authorities.

The dietary supplements all used “benikoji,” a form of crimson mould. Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals’ pink tablets referred to as Benikoji Choleste Help had been billed as serving to decrease levels of cholesterol.

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, primarily based within the western Japanese metropolis of Osaka, stated about 1,000,000 packages had been bought over the previous three fiscal years. It additionally bought benikoji to different producers, and a few merchandise have been exported. The dietary supplements may very well be purchased at drug shops with out a prescription from a health care provider.

Reports of well being issues surfaced in 2023, though benikoji has been utilized in varied merchandise for years.

Company president Akihiro Kobayashi has apologized for not having acted sooner. The recall got here March 22, two months after the corporate had acquired official medical stories about the issue.

On Friday, the corporate stated 5 individuals had died and 114 individuals had been being handled in hospitals after taking the merchandise. Japan’s well being ministry says the dietary supplements are accountable for the deaths and sicknesses, and warned that the variety of these affected may develop.

Some analysts blame the latest deregulation initiatives, which simplified and sped up approval for well being merchandise to spur financial development. But deaths from a mass-produced merchandise is uncommon in Japan, as authorities checks over client merchandise are comparatively stringent.

The authorities has ordered a overview of the approval system in response to the supplement-related sicknesses. A report is due in May.