Japanese health officials have searched a Kobayashi Pharmaceutical factory after the drugmaker reported five deaths possibly linked to dietary supplements using red yeast rice

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the City of Osaka jointly inspected the factory in Osaka that had made the supplements containing "Beni- Koji" red yeast, suspected of having caused health damage.

Kobayashi is investigating a suspected link between the products and their effects on the kidney since it received reports of kidney disease linked to the products.

114 people have been hospitalised and five have died after taking the supplements, which were marketed as helping lower cholesterol levels.