• Signed on January 23, 2017, the Health Promotion Partnership will support Shimane Prefecture activities aiming to extend healthy life expectancy as set forth in the Shimane Health and Longevity Promotion Plan, Term 2.
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical will utilize its expertise in areas such as nutritional education, heat stroke countermeasures, disaster mitigation, and other areas to contribute to health promotion initiatives and extended healthy life expectancy of prefectural residents.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo, Japan; President: Tatsuo Higuchi) has entered into a Health Promotion Partnership with Shimane Prefecture, aiming to cooperate in initiatives to promote health and wellbeing and achieve healthy lifestyles for prefectural residents. The partnership was signed on January 23 at the Shimane Prefecture Government Offices.

Signing Ceremony at the Shimane Prefectural Government

Among the first local governments to recognize issues associated with a rapidly aging population, Shimane Prefecture formulated the Shimane Health and Longevity Promotion Plan, Term 2^*1 with the aim of extending healthy life expectancy^*2. Medical facilities and groups are working together with government organizations to develop community-based health promotion initiatives to enable prefectural residents of all ages to enjoy healthy, active lifestyles.
Among these efforts, the Shimane Prefecture Plan to Promote Nutritional Education^*3 is being implemented to address important nutrition and diet-related issues, including irregular eating habits, the increase of lifestyle-related illnesses and the decrease in opportunities for families to dine together. Aiming to maximize regional potential such as abundant natural resources, agricultural, forest and fishery products, and a large number of active and involved senior citizens, Shimane Prefecture has launched a prefecture-wide campaign in which households, schools and local organizations cooperate to develop nutritional education for a lifetime.

As a comprehensive health care company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical is involved in various activities with local governments and other entities to maintain and promote healthy lifestyles. The company has already been involved in public awareness campaigns to support the health and wellbeing of Shimane Prefecture residents. With the conclusion of the Health Promotion Partnership, Otsuka will work to expand these cooperative initiatives, aiming to maximize expertise in nutritional education, heat stroke countermeasures, prevention of lifestyle-related illnesses, disaster mitigation, and other areas to promote health and extend healthy life expectancy for Shimane Prefecture residents.
Otsuka will cooperate with Shimane Prefecture to promote public awareness of health-related issues, dispatch lecturers, provide food and emergency relief supplies in case of disaster, and provide health-related information and products based on scientific evidence to support the health of Shimane Prefecture residents.

Under the terms of the agreement, Otsuka Pharmaceutical will cooperate with Shimane Prefecture in the following areas, with the aim of achieving healthy lifestyles for prefectural residents of all ages.

1. 1Promotion of public awareness of heat stroke countermeasures
2. 2Promotion of publicity and education efforts to prevent locomotive syndrome
3. 3Promotion of nutritional education
4. 4Disaster relief support
5. 5Other areas related to promotion of health and wellbeing as determined through consultation

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. 2Shimane Health and Longevity Promotion Plan, Term 2:
   http://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/medical/kenko/kenko/chouju/choujusuishinjigyou/kenko_zoshin_keikaku2.html (in Japanese)
3. 3Shimane Prefecture Plan to Promote Nutrition Education (Term 2):
   http://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/medical/kenko/kenko/syokuiku/shokuchishiki/shokuiku_plan2.html (in Japanese)