• The agreement, concluded on September 1, 2016, aims to contribute to the resolution of me-byo (near-illness) and pursuit of advanced medical treatments and technologies as set forth in the Health Care New Frontier Policy, promoted by Kanagawa Prefecture to foster a society in which everyone can live a long and healthy life.
• Otsuka will utilize its expertise in prevention of lifestyle-related illnesses, heat stroke countermeasures, nutritional education, women's health, disaster mitigation, and sports promotion, cooperating with Kanagawa Prefecture to extend the healthy life expectancy of prefectural residents.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo, Japan; President: Tatsuo Higuchi) has entered into a Comprehensive Cooperative Agreement with Kanagawa Prefecture, aiming to extend healthy life expectancy^*1 and enhance the quality of services for prefectural residents. The agreement was finalized on September 1 at the Kanagawa Prefecture Offices.

Signing Ceremony at the Kanagawa Prefectural Government (Photo:Kanagawa Prefecture)

In Kanagawa Prefecture the speed of increase in the ratio of residents aged 75 or over surpasses the national average, and the aging of society is becoming a serious issue^*2. To address this problem, Kanagawa Prefecture is promoting a Health Care New Frontier Policy^*3, targeting resolution of me-byo (near-illness)^*4 and pursuit of advanced medical treatments and technologies with the goal of creating a society in which everyone, the elderly included, can live a long and healthy life.

In 2011, Otsuka Pharmaceutical joined the Kanagawa Dream Assist Community Accord^*5, offering support for sports and health-related education initiatives in Kanagawa Prefecture schools. In 2015, Otsuka registered to support cooperative activities related to the Kanagawa Manifesto of Curing Me-byo^*6, expanding efforts to promote initiatives to prevent lifestyle-related illnesses and contributing to the health and wellbeing of Kanagawa Prefecture residents in various ways.

With the conclusion of the Comprehensive Cooperative Agreement, Otsuka Pharmaceutical will work to reinforce this cooperative alliance, aiming to maximize expertise in areas such as prevention of lifestyle-related illnesses, heat stroke countermeasures, nutritional education, women's health, disaster mitigation, and sports promotion and providing health-related information and products based on scientific evidence to contribute to extended healthy life expectancy and enhanced quality of services for Kanagawa Prefecture residents.

This arrangement marks the first time that Kanagawa Prefecture has entered into a comprehensive agreement with a pharmaceutical firm. Under the terms of the agreement, Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Kanagawa Prefecture will cooperate to implement initiatives and activities as outlined below.

1. 1Improvement of me-byo (near-illness) conditions
2. 2Health promotion activities
3. 3Encourage active participation of women in society
4. 4Promotion of education
5. 5Support for child-rearing
6. 6Disaster prevention and mitigation
7. 7Sports promotion activities
8. 8Other initiatives to enhance the quality of services for prefectural residents and revitalize local communities

Based on our corporate philosophy of 'Otsuka - people creating new products for better health worldwide,' Otsuka Pharmaceutical is dedicated to the development of innovative products that contribute to the health of people around the world.

1. 1Healthy life expectancy (HALE): Length of life that an individual lives without limitation in daily activities due to health problems (Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
2. 2Kanagawa Prefecture website (in Japanese):http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/cnt/f450232/p1009605.html
3. 3Health Care New Frontier Policy (in English): http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/mlt/f531223/
4. 4Me-byo (near-illness): Rather than defining physical and mental condition as "healthy" or "sick," the concept of me-byo is based on continuous fluctuation and refers to all conditions between healthy and sick. (in English):http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/mlt/f531223/
5. 5Kanagawa Dream Assist Community Accord (in Japanese):http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/cnt/f360101/
6. 6System for Registration of Cooperative Activities related to Kanagawa Manifesto of Curing Me-byo (near-illness) (in Japanese):
   http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/cnt/f480290/p754591.html