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July 05, 2025
 

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KOJI

Health ministry officials enter Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's Osaka plant on Saturday for inspection.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 4, 2024
Cause of Kobayashi Pharma health scare still unclear as probe continues
A natural compound derived from blue mold has been detected in the firm's beni kо̄ji supplements, but the substance's health impacts are still unclear.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical President Akihiro Kobayashi (second from left) and other executives apologize for the deaths and other health damage associated with its dietary supplements, in the city of Osaka on Friday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 29, 2024
Kobayashi Pharma says blue mold compound may be cause of health problems
The beni kо̄ji red yeast rice dietary supplements are now linked to five deaths and 114 hospitalizations.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 29, 2024
Kobayashi Pharma scandal reignites debate on ‘functional food’ labels
The labels have been criticized for years over the lack of sufficient scientific proof of safety and efficacy accompanying their use.
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Mar 28, 2024
What we know so far about Kobayashi Pharma's supplement deaths
The Osaka-based drugmaker is finding itself under further scrutiny as the search to pinpoint the cause of the deaths continues.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 27, 2024
Concerns mount after two deaths linked to Kobayashi Pharma supplement
A government probe is being conducted to establish whether the supplement, which contains beni kо̄ji red fermented rice, led to the deaths.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 24, 2024
Osaka drugmaker recalls dietary supplements linked to kidney disorders
The Osaka-based drugmaker announced Friday that, of the six hospitalized, two suffered symptoms serious enough to require temporary dialysis.
Even if you’re unfamiliar with 'kōji' by name, chances are you’ve been consuming it for a while.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Feb 18, 2024
Recipe: Dry rub to jump down the ‘kōji’ rabbit hole
On the eve of a major gathering of Aspergillus oryzae aficionados, here’s a ‘kōji’ recipe to get you started on your own adventure with the magical mold.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 23, 2023
Why Japan's favorite fermented paste may hold the key to a low-carbon diet
The ancient art of fermentation, an essential part of Japanese cuisine, is helping reduce the environmental impact of the food we eat today, and will eat in the future.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KANPAI CULTURE
Dec 11, 2022
The Okinawans helping black kōji to thrive
Nearly destroyed during the destruction of World War II, the enigmatic mold central to awamori lives on.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 13, 2022
The Americans going where no miso has gone before
Eleana Hsu and Kevin Gondo don't just break the rules with their homemade miso and shoyu — they create their own.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 22, 2022
Kojicon shines the spotlight on a staple of Japanese cooking
Home fermentation became a popular pastime among budding cooks during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE RECIPE BOX
Jan 2, 2022
Recipe: Sourdough onion focaccia
Try a little 'koji alchemy' of your own at home with this recipe for an onion-flavored loaf.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 30, 2021
Gucci Osteria Tokyo takes you into a culinary wonderland
The third collaborative restaurant between Massimo Bottura and Gucci has finally opened in Ginza, blending fashion with Italian-Japanese fine dining.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Kateigaho International Japan Edition
Aug 22, 2020
Hakkō: Cradled in a storehouse, nesashi miso sleeps as it matures
In the miso-making business since 1849, Miura Fermented Foods has long been known for its nesashi miso, which has a strong, unique flavor.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Kateigaho International Japan Edition
Aug 8, 2020
Hakkō: Soy sauce, a magical elixir of soybeans, wheat, salt — and mold
For over 330 years, Shibanuma Soy Sauce has been making the seasoning from its home in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jul 11, 2020
‘Koji Alchemy’: Fermentation enthusiasts are making mold magic
“Koji Alchemy” delves into the significance of ku014dji — Japan's semiofficial “national mold” — and demystifies making and cooking with it at home.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 7, 2019
The fermentation power of kōji, Japanese food's secret ingredient
If Japanese food culture were pared down to its fundamental elements, the ingredient that might embodies them best is kome ku014dji (rice inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae).
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NATURE'S PANTRY
May 29, 2015
Searching Kyoto for the holy grail of Japanese rice vinegar
Akihiro Iio, now in his late 30s, is the fifth generation of his family to run Iio Jozo, a venerable vinegar house outside of Kyoto. Using locally grown rice, the Iio family has been producing vinegar in Kyoto for more than 120 years, and since the early 1960s their output has been 100 percent organic....
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Japan Pulse
Dec 20, 2012
2012: Food and drink trends in Japan
Hot beer, frozen soup, and haute cuisine on the cheap: the year in food in Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Japan Pulse
Aug 17, 2012
Can Japan swallow a salty yogurt boom?
Savory yogurt is the biggest thing to hit Japanese kitchens since salt koji.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Japan to require flight passengers to keep power banks within sight
The transport ministry has announced new regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

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