The average life expectancy in Japan is over 80 years for both men and women. However, the difference between healthy life expectancy, defined as the number of years a person can live without becoming bedridden or reaching limitations in their daily life due to health problems, and average life expectancy is 9 years for men and 12 years for women. The extension of the country's healthy life expectancy has become the central issue covered by the “Healthy Japan 21 (Second Term)” program, developed by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare. Also, increasing numbers of women are looking to return to the workforce following childbirth, leading to childcare, nursing, and associated health issues needing to be addressed. In particular, women in their 40s and 50s feel the impact of symptoms caused by hormonal changes upon their daily lives. Healthcare during this period has been seen to affect the future healthy life expectancy of the individual.

To promote the maintenance and improvement of health in women during this period of great physical and emotional change, Otsuka Pharmaceutical has developed a product which includes a substance produced from soy, known as equol, which performs a very similar function to the female hormone estrogen. Specialists in the field of female health are now holding seminars throughout the country to share the latest information and evidence related to equol, the changes and disorders which occur in the female body, as well as solutions for those disorders. In addition, we also provide extensive information concerning female nutrition and related topics elsewhere on this website.