Japan Approves Country’s First SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test Kit As It Aims To Ramp Up Testing Numbers

13 May 2020

• By Phil Greenfield

The test, made by Fujirebio, will help Japan to reach its 400,000-per-week COVID-19 test target.

Covid19_Japan_Mask — • Source: Shutterstock

Fujirebio Diagnostics Inc. has won Japanese regulatory approval for a rapid test kit for the virus that causes COVID-19, with sales of the kit starting today. This is the first antigen test kit for SARS-CoV-2 approved in the country and will be used to bolster its testing rate.

The Fujirebio test takes under 30 minutes to process, compared with the four to six hours required for polymerase chain...