Production of “Akachin”, a disinfectant representing Showa, which was also drawn in “Sunset in Sanchome” and “Chibimaruko-chan” will be completed. Sanei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Setagaya, Tokyo), the only manufacturer in Japan, has announced that it will be manufactured on the 24th and will be finished on the 25th.

In 1939 (Showa 14), the red chin listed in the Japanese Pharmacy Code (standards for pharmaceuticals set by the government) was manufactured by about 100 companies across the country in the 1960s, when it was at its peak. Sanei Pharmaceutical also shipped 100,000 bottles a month. Compared to tincture of iodine (yochin), it does not stain or hurt, making it indispensable for health rooms and homes, and it was standard for children with scrapes and cuts to have their knees and elbows stained red.

In 1971, the colorless and spray “Makiron” appeared. On the other hand, the red chin is gradually being left behind in the era after the end of the national production of raw materials in 1973 due to the generation of mercury when producing the raw material Mercurochrome. According to Hiroaki Fujimori (59), president of Sanei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., in the 2000s there were three manufacturers who were sourcing raw materials from abroad and continuing to manufacture.

One company went bankrupt in 2015. At the end of 2018, the other company ended production, leaving only Sanei Pharmaceutical. From December 31st, the “Minamata Treaty” (an international treaty regulating the manufacture and import / export of products that use mercury) will be subject to regulation for both red chin and fluorescent lamps, so Sanei Pharmaceutical will also terminate . “Only the people of Showa know, but there are deep-rooted fans across the country, and they send me a letter saying, ‘I’ll relive the memory my mother painted’ and ‘I’ll use it carefully. It’s a shame I can’t do it because I’ve done it for almost 70 years with the first product my predecessor made. Thank you for using it for so long, “says President Fujimori.[Fumiaki Nakajima]

◆ Red chin mercurochrome aqueous solution. It means “red iodine tincture,” but it does not contain iodine (iodine) or tincture (ethanol). The rival “Makiron” was called “White Chin” among children when it was first released.