Discount retailer Don Quijote Co. said Wednesday it will dole out free medicine to night-time shoppers in times of emergency when pharmacists are not available at any of 10 selected outlets in Tokyo.
The decision follows warnings from health regulators that the retailer's remote pharmacist system -- pharmacists selling drugs via TV phones -- might be illegal. The Pharmaceutical Affairs Law requires certified pharmacists to be on the premises selling medicines.
The firm said the planned giveaway is for "humanitarian reasons" because few stores are open after 10 p.m. Its outlets are open until early morning, and some operate 24 hours.