• Otsuka's Tokushima Itano Factory cosponsored a walking event with the local community for the 10th consecutive year

• The event theme was "Thinking about the Environment and Health", encouraging participants to experience nature

• In addition to the factory tour, the Tokushima Vortis soccer workshop, and other activities, this year, a new event , a walk on the Takamatsu Expressway before its completion, was also held, and about 10,000 people visited.

The Tokushima Itano Factory of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo, Japan; President: Tatsuo Higuchi) was among the cosponsors of the 10^th Asan Walking Festa in Itano, held on September 2 in the town of Itano, Tokushima Prefecture.

This event has been held since 2009, with an executive committee composed of companies and local governments, with the aim of promoting messages of natural environment protection and the importance of health from the Itano Asan district. This year, which was the 10^th anniversary of the event, featured a walk on the new Takamatsu Expressway four-lane project highway before its completion. In addition, special guests, the comedians Katsumi and Sayuri, appeared and gave a boost to the event. A tour of Otsuka's SOYJOY factory, a Tokushima Vortis soccer workshop, family-oriented environmental events, outdoor music concerts, etc. were also held and about 10,000 people participated in the event.

The Tokushima Itano Factory is located at the foot of the Asan mountain range which overlooks the Tokushima plain, and the factory's concept has been consistently "a factory friendly to people and the environment, a factory opened to the community" since the start of operation. In our production activities, we continue to focus on environmentally conscious efforts; we also focus on events and regional beautification activities co-sponsored with local communities, aiming to realize an open factory.

As a comprehensive health-care company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical is involved in various partnerships with local governments and other entities to promote health and wellbeing. In 2016, Otsuka entered into a health promotion partnership with its home prefecture of Tokushima. In addition to maximizing its expertise in various health-related areas, Otsuka is implementing specific initiatives to meet local needs, including seminars on heat stroke countermeasures and prevention of lifestyle-related illnesses for schools, medical facilities, and companies in Tokushima Prefecture.

Based on the corporate philosophy of 'Otsuka - people creating new products for better health worldwide', Otsuka Pharmaceutical will continue to contribute to the health and wellbeing of people around the world.