Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Nutraceuticals
March 31, 2016

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Signs Health Promotion Support Agreement with Hyogo Prefecture

  • Otsuka Pharmaceutical has entered into a health promotion support agreement*1 with Hyogo Prefecture, which is actively pursuing a Health Promotion Challenge Corporation program*2 to promote and support the health and wellbeing of prefectural residents. The agreement, signed on March 30, 2016, is the first agreement concluded by Otsuka that specifically focuses on "supporting health through nutrition."
  • Utilizing its knowledge and expertise in nutritional education, healthy longevity, prevention of lifestyle-related illnesses, heatstroke countermeasures, sports promotion, and other areas, Otsuka will create support menus*3 for participating Health Promotion Challenge Corporations, focusing on development of training programs and dispatch of lecturers to contribute to achieving more healthy lifestyles for prefectural residents.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo Japan; President: Tatsuo Higuchi) has entered into a health promotion support agreement with Hyogo Prefecture, aiming to reinforce prefectural government efforts to promote and support the health and wellbeing of prefectural residents.

Signing ceremony at Hyogo Prefecture Government Offices

Signing ceremony at Hyogo Prefecture Government Offices
Left: Mineaki Ota, Director, Health and Welfare Department, Hyogo Prefecture
Right: Kazuhiro Saeki, manager, Kobe Branch Office

As a comprehensive health care company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical is involved in various activities with local governments and other entities to promote healthy lifestyles.

Seeking to support the health and wellbeing of people in the prime of their working years, Hyogo Prefecture is advancing various programs that emphasize promotion of overall health and prevention of illness, encouraging corporations or organizations that are proactively engaged in promoting the health of employees and their families to register as Health Promotion Challenge Corporations.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical is already engaged in various initiatives related to nutritional education, healthy longevity, prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, and sports promotions in Hyogo Prefecture. With the signing of the health promotion support agreement, these activities will be further reinforced. Focusing on "supporting health through nutrition," Otsuka will develop support menus such as training programs and dispatch of lecturers for Health Promotion Challenge Corporations, working together with the Hyogo Prefecture government to support health-related activities of local corporations and organizations. Among various support activities related to exercise and sports, the agreement with Hyogo Prefecture is the first entered into by Otsuka that specifically focuses on "supporting health through nutrition."

Under the terms of the agreement, Otsuka will work together with Hyogo Prefecture to promote the Health Promotion Challenge Corporation program, including but not limited to initiatives outlined below.

  1. 1Proposal and implementation of support menus
  2. 2Ongoing refinement and improvement of support menus
  3. 3Promotion of awareness of Health Promotion Challenge Corporation program and expansion of participating companies and organizations
  4. 4Proactive considerations and proposals to develop the Health Promotion Challenge Corporation program.

The following specific support menus have been implemented by Otsuka Pharmaceutical to date.

  1. 1Proposals to reduce the ratio of employees who skip breakfast
  2. 2Proposals to prevent metabolic syndrome through regular meals and exercise regimens
  3. 3Proposals for proper hydration to prevent heatstroke when engaged in work or sports in hot conditions

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. 1Health promotion support agreement: Agreement to support initiatives including practical activities and efforts to improve the ratio of regular medical examinations for employees and families of participating Health Promotion Challenge Corporations (agreements signed with 9 corporations as of March 30, 2016).
  2. 2Health Promotion Challenge Corporation program: Corporations and organizations that are proactively engaged in promoting the health of employees and their families are encouraged to register as Health Promotion Challenge Corporations, with Hyogo Prefecture offering registered participants encouragement and support (a total of 666 companies registered as of February 29, 2016).
  3. 3Support menus: Declarations outlining the support offered to Health Support Challenge Corporations by companies entering into health promotion support agreements with Hyogo Prefecture; for example, training programs or dispatch of lecturers related to supporting health through nutrition.
    (Hyogo Prefecture website: http://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/kf17/challenge_kigyo.html)