INTERVIEW: Kobayashi Pharma Vows Never to Repeat Health Scare

   Osaka, June 4 (Jiji Press)--The head of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. has promised that it will never cause health damage again, following a high-profile scare last year caused by its supplements containing "beni koji," or red fermented rice.
   "I will continue to urge our workers to never repeat" such health hazards, President and CEO Norikazu Toyoda said in a recent interview held after taking office in March.
   Toyoda plans to renew the company's personnel systems to prioritize human resource development, as part of efforts to strengthen product quality controls.
   In March 2024, the drugmaker, based in the western Japan city of Osaka, announced that it had received a series of reports about such symptoms as kidney disease from users of its supplements.
   "We have caused problems for our customers and business partners," Toyoda reiterated, suggesting that his company will continue focusing on providing compensation to victims and taking thorough preventive measures.

(2025/06/04-18:01)