Public Inquiry Requesting Disclosure of Evidence That 'Red Yeast Rice Contained Puberulic Acid' and Full Disclosure of 'Scientific Basis for Identifying Puberulic Acid'

Kunsei Club Co., Ltd. (Hayashima-cho, Okayama Prefecture, representative director and pharmacist Masaki Mori) submitted a public inquiry (Press Release No. 77, hereinafter referred to as 'this inquiry') on May 29, 2026, to the Food Monitoring and Safety Division of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Osaka City Public Health Center, and the National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS), requesting written responses by a specified deadline. As of June 15, 2026, no responses have been confirmed from any of the three agencies.

■ Response Status (as of June 15, 2026)

・ Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Food Monitoring and Safety Division: No response (deadline expired)

・ Osaka City Public Health Center: No response (deadline expired)

・ National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS): No response (deadline expired on June 12, 2026)

Press Release No. 82 (June 8, 2026) reported the lack of response from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Osaka City Public Health Center. Subsequently, the NIHS response deadline (June 12, 2026) also passed without any response being received. This confirms that all three agencies have failed to respond to this inquiry.

■ Content of the Inquiry (No. 77)

On May 29, 2026, our company formally requested written responses on the following two points:

・ ① Disclosure of scientific evidence held by government agencies indicating that 'Koujikoru Cholesterol Help' and the subject red yeast rice contained puberulic acid

・ ② Full disclosure of the scientific basis for identifying puberulic acid in a form that allows independent verification by scientists worldwide

■ Our Response – Implementation of Administrative Document Disclosure Requests to the Three Agencies

In light of the fact that no responses were received from any of the three agencies after the deadline for the public inquiry, our company is formally submitting administrative document disclosure requests (information disclosure requests) to the Food Monitoring and Safety Division of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Osaka City Public Health Center, and the National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS).

The documents requested include:

・ All scientific evidence indicating that 'Koujikoru Cholesterol Help' and the subject red yeast rice contained puberulic acid

・ All documents demonstrating that government agencies (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, NIHS, Osaka City Public Health Center) independently and scientifically identified puberulic acid

・ Internal agency documents and correspondence with related organizations regarding the process by which puberulic acid was identified and publicly announced as the causative substance

Our company will continue to disclose the progress and results of these disclosure requests through press releases as appropriate.

■ Background

Since the red yeast rice supplement incident in 2024, our company has repeatedly submitted information disclosure requests. Upon careful examination of the documents disclosed to date, the following facts have been confirmed:

・ The only materials confirmed regarding the identification of 'puberulic acid' are those claimed to have been identified by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical

・ No documents have been confirmed in the disclosed materials showing that government agencies (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, NIHS, Osaka City Public Health Center) independently and scientifically identified puberulic acid

・ No direct scientific evidence indicating that 'Koujikoru Cholesterol Help' and the subject red yeast rice contained puberulic acid has been confirmed in the disclosed documents

・ Rather, the disclosed documents contain statements suggesting the possibility that the subject products and red yeast rice did not contain puberulic acid

Our company will continue to verify and document the factual circumstances of this matter and, as necessary, disclose additional information, including the results of administrative document disclosure requests.

[The following is reference information. It is not the main subject of this press release.]

The content below presents our company's views and analysis on the red yeast rice issue and is separate reference information distinct from the above announcements (public inquiries to government agencies and administrative document disclosure requests). It is not the main subject of this announcement and is provided for reference only.

[Red Yeast Rice Incident Research Report No. 4]

Industrial Mutant Strains Are Already in Practical Use in the Food Industry

— The Structural Flaw in Koujikoru Cholesterol Help Revealed by Comparing Production Methods with Ajinomoto (Monosodium Glutamate) —

Kunsei Club Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and Pharmacist Masaki Mori) reports on the use of industrial mutant strains in the food industry and the production-related issues of Koujikoru Cholesterol Help as the fourth installment of the Red Yeast Rice Incident Research Report.

■ Industrial Mutant Strains Are Already in Practical Use in the Food Industry

The application of industrial mutant strains is not limited to pharmaceutical fields such as antibiotics. They are widely used in the food industry as well, with the most well-known example being Ajinomoto (monosodium glutamate). Monosodium glutamate originated from Professor Kikunae Ikeda of the University of Tokyo, who discovered 'umami' as a flavor component in kelp. Today, 'umami' is used worldwide, but initial extraction from kelp had production limitations. Therefore, it is now manufactured through fermentation and purification using industrial mutant strains with molasses from sugarcane as the raw material.

■ The Fundamental Difference in Production Methods – 'Purification' vs. 'No Purification'

The key point here is the fundamental difference in production methods between Ajinomoto and Koujikoru Cholesterol Help.

・ Ajinomoto: After fermentation using industrial mutant strains, the product undergoes a purification process. Only the target component (monosodium glutamate) is extracted, and by-products are removed.

・ Koujikoru Cholesterol Help: The fermentation product from industrial mutant strains (strain BP-412) is commercialized without purification. It is designed to be consumed in its entirety, including by-products, and is structured for long-term continuous intake in a concentrated form of these by-products.

■ The Problem Lies Not in the Technology, But in Its Application

Biotechnology using industrial mutant strains is already technologically mature. The issue does not lie in the technology itself, but in how it is used. Our company believes that Koujikoru Cholesterol Help lacks the fundamental safety design of removing by-products through purification. We will continue our verification from the standpoint of research reproducibility and administrative accountability, based on published documents and scientific literature.