Sustainability

Preventing heat disorders

Otsuka Pharmaceutical has been actively working to help the public understand and prevent heat disorders by developing educational tools and sending employees to venues around the country to talk about the issue.

Since POCARI SWEAT was first introduced, Otsuka has advocated the importance of hydration at a wide variety of events and venues. The public has become more aware of the issue since the Study Group for Prevention of Heat Disorders in Sports Activities was established by the Japan Sport Association in 1991, and Otsuka Pharmaceutical began to take part in activities to help prevent heat disorders in 1992.
The company has since expanded its activities in this area. Employees are focused on disseminating information, meeting with groups outside of the office to talk about children's sports, safety and health in the workplace, and the importance to senior citizens of staying hydrated.
The 'Health and Illness' section of this website contains information on preventing heat disorders, the contents of which are based on the "Guidebook for Prevention of Heat Disorders in Sports Activities" published by the Japan Sport Association. Animated movies within that section explain heat disorders and their prevention in a way that is easy to understand.
In 2012, Otsuka Pharmaceutical launched another heat disorders-prevention initiative, helping to set up the Heat Disorders Prevention website, in cooperation with weather forecasters. The website provides the latest heat indices and up-to-the-minute comments from weather forecasters for specific locations around Japan.

Related Links


Vice President and Executive Managing Director, Japan Sport Association (JASA) Masafumi Izum

Vice President and Executive Managing Director, Japan Sport Association (JASA)

Masafumi Izumi

JASA has been engaged in heat disorders prevention initiatives for more than 20 years, and in that time it has reached a wide audience with its message. At the same time, Japan has experienced a number of heat waves in the last few years leading to deaths from heat disorders. Heat disorders can be prevented by taking suitable precautions. Sports legislation in Japan mandates that sports be carried out in a safe manner, and JASA will continue working to prevent heat disorders in an effort to contribute to safe sports.


Professor Emeritus, Kyoto Women's University Seiichi Naka

Professor Emeritus, Kyoto Women's University

Seiichi Nakai

Comparing the ten years before and after 1995, the death rate from heat disorders in a variety of places - the home, at school, in industry - we see there was an increase. By contrast, the death rate from heat disorders at sports facilities, which in the past had been the highest, has fallen by two-thirds.*1 The ratio of heat disorders victims 19 years old or younger has also fallen. *2 The "Five Articles for Prevention of Heat Disorders in Sports Activities" issued by the Japan Sport Association, as well as the various activities and lectures to publicize this information, have clearly had a positive impact.

  1. *1Hoshi, Akio et. al. "Japanese Journal of Biometeorology", 47 (4), 2010
  2. *2Tokyo Fire and Disaster Management Agency tables

Preventing heat disorders

History of Otsuka activities

1992
  • Began collaborating with the Japan Sport Association on activities to help prevent heat disorders when the association's Study Group for Prevention of Heat Disorders in Sports Activities was formed*
  • Provided support as sponsor of the Japan Sport Association's National Sports Promotion Campaign*
1993
  • Began cosponsoring educational activities to prevent heat disorders*
  • Began helping compile the "Guidebook for Prevention of Heat Disorders in Sports Activities"*
1996
  • Helped develop the video, "Preventing Heat Disorders in Sports Activities"*
1997
  • Cosponsored the Sports Nutrition Forum*
  • Helped develop the video, "Sports Activities and Hydration for Athletes"*
  • Cosponsored the production of sports manuals on hydration for rugby, soccer, judo, track and field, and baseball teams
1998
  • Helped develop the video, "Training and Conditioning for Athletes: Muscle, Protein, and Hydration"*
1999
  • Cosponsored Japan Junior Sports Clubs Association's Heat Disorders Prevention Campaign Project*
  • Helped compile the Japan Junior Sports Clubs Association"Heat Disorders Prevention Pamphlet"*
  • Supported Junior Sports Seminars*
2000
  • Helped develop the video, "Preventing Heat Disorders During Children's Sports Activities"*
  • Helped compile the "Summer Training Guidebook"*
  • Helped develop the video, "New Life Management for Athletes"*
2001
  • Helped develop the video, "Hydration During Children's Sports Activities/Keeping Children Hydrated During Sports"*
  • Helped develop the video, "The Athletes' Locker Room"*
2003
  • Held a lecture "The urban climate and heat disorders" for the media. Supported by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
    Sponsored by :
    Japan Meteorological Business Support Center
    Supported by :
    Japan Ministry of the Environment, Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan Sport Association, Japan Society of School Health and Japan Industrial Safety & Health Association
2004
  • Provided overall support on the Heat Disorders Prevention Summit, a gathering of researchers involved in various aspects of heat disorders research and other experts held to bring public attention to the fact that accidents involving heat disorders can also occur off the sports field and are preventable*
2006
  • Cosponsored the WFATT World Conference 2007 Tokyo, an international conference of athletic trainers*
2007
  • Expanded Junior Sports Seminars to 50 locations across Japan*
  • Conducted lectures on hydration for 500,000 members of Japan
    Junior Sports Clubs nationwide as part of the Sports Activities Campaign*
2008
  • Cosponsored the Japan Rubber Baseball Association and conducted seminars on hydration for the association's member instructors
  • Cosponsored the U-12 Soccer League organized by the Japan Football Association and conducted seminars on hydration for the association's member coaches and instructors (ongoing from 2008)
  • Held annual Weather Forecaster Seminar
2010
  • Conducted educational activities on how to prevent heat disorders in the elderly at public health clinics and public health centers around Japan
2011
  • Cosponsored the production of the DVD, "Pitfalls in Preventing Heat Disorders" with the Japan-based non-profit Weather Caster Network
2012
  • Cosponsored the creation of the website, "Heat Disorders Prevention Website" with the Weather Caster Network
  • Began to run the "Live On" seminars for occupational physicians, nurses, dieticians, nutritionists, and health and safety personnel working in offices across the country
2013
  • Launched Heat Disorders Prevention website in cooperation with the Weather Caster Network, with a free alert service based on the heat disorders danger index
  • Held "Live On" seminars for leaders of youth sports clubs and parents of club members to spread the philosophy of the clubs and to provide information on prevention of heat disorders during sports activities*
2014
  • Awarded the Best Communicator for Heat Disorders Prevention - Communication Project Hitosuzumi (Cool Break) Awards 2014
2015
  • Awarded the Best Communicator for Heat Disorders Prevention - Communication Project Hitosuzumi (Cool Break) Awards 2015
2016
  • Awarded the Best Communicator and Top Runner Awards for Heat Disorders Prevention - Communication Project Hitosuzumi (Cool Break) Awards 2016
2017
  • Collaborated in the reproduction of the "Environmental Health Manual for Heat Disorders" prepared by the Ministry of Environment
  • Awarded Team Excellence and Top Runner Awards at the Heat Disorders Prevention - Communication Project Hitosuzumi (Cool Break) Awards 2017
2018
  • Awarded the Excellence Award (Public-Private Partnership Division) at the Heat Disorders Prevention - Communication Project Hitosuzumi (Cool Break) Awards 2018
2019
  • Cosponsored the revision of the "Guidebook for Prevention of Heat Disorders in Sports Activities" (from the first edition to the fifth revision)*
  • Began collaborating on the "Heat Disorders Prevention Advisor Training Course", which is organized by Heat Disorders Prevention - Communication Project
  • Awarded the Excellence Award (Sports Division) for Heat Disorders Prevention - Communication Project Hitosuzumi (Cool Break) Awards 2019
2020
  • Cosponsored the production of the video, "Preventing Heat Disorders During Sports Activities"*
  • *Activities of Japan Sports Association (now Japan Sport Association)

Preventing Heat Disorders