TAIPEI: A Taiwanese consumer group sued Japan’s Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. for compensation for health damage allegedly caused by products related to its “beni koji” red fermented rice on Friday, Taiwanese media reported.

The group filed the lawsuit with Taipei District Court against six firms including a Taiwanese unit of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical and an importer in Taiwan, seeking 168 million Taiwan dollars, or about 760 million yen, in damages allegedly suffered by 55 people.

According to the group, the 55 people mostly have kidney disease symptoms, and some of them are receiving dialysis. An official of the group said that the defendant companies should fulfill their responsibilities with a corporate conscience.

In Taiwan, health problems have been reported for people who took Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s supplement products they purchased in Japan and those who took products made by a Taiwanese firm using the Japanese company’s beni koji as an ingredient. According to Taiwanese health authorities, the number of such reports reached 69 by Sept. 20.

The latest development in Taiwan came after health problems caused by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s supplements containing beni koji were revealed in Japan in March. Earlier this month, Japan’s health ministry said that puberulic acid caused kidney damage to users of the supplements in question.

JIJI Press