The Japanese government has conveyed that the country could offer the unapproved drug under certain circumstances to help treat the deadly Ebola virus even before the World Health Organization has decided to make a request for the drug.

According to the company's top government spokesman, Japan has expressed its cooperation with the WHO and was ready to make an international contribution.

The Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told a news conference: "I am informed that medical professionals could make a request for T-705 in an emergency even before a decision by the WHO. In that case, we would like to respond under certain criteria."

It has been reported that Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp and U.S. partner MediVector are in talks with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to submit an application to expand the use of favipiravir as a treatment for Ebola. It should be noted that T-705 is the developmental code for the influenza drug favipiravir.

Ebola is the deadly epidemic that has affected many countries in West Africa recently and has killed more than 1,000 people so far. The ongoing Ebola outbreak has prompted the WHO to declare an international health emergency.