Otsuka Group News

Otsuka Holdings Certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a “Food and Nutrition Education Practice Excellent Corporation 2026” Promoting Health by Leveraging the Group’s Expertise, Products, and Services

April 1, 2026

Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President and Representative Director, CEO: Makoto Inoue) has been certified as a “Food and Nutrition Education Practice Excellent Corporation 2026” under a new program established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). The certification recognizes initiatives in food and nutrition education as well as health promotion for employees that effectively leverage Otsuka group’s expertise, products, and services.

In recent years, decline in dietary habits among adults has become increasingly apparent, highlighting a growing need to promote “food and nutrition education for adults,” particularly for younger generations who will play a key role in shaping the future of society. Promoting food and nutrition education in the workplace is essential to fostering healthy eating habits. To address this need and to enhance corporate vitality while encouraging the broader adoption of exemplary initiatives, the MAFF has launched the “Food and Nutrition Education Practice Excellent Corporation Award Program.” Under this program, corporations that implement initiatives contributing to the improvement of employees’ dietary habits are certified as “Food and Nutrition Education Practice Excellent Corporations.”

The company aims to be an organization that identifies unmet or latent needs and issues spanning medical care to day-to-day health, takes a comprehensive approach to addressing them, and delivers value that supports each individual’s health and the way of life. To achieve this goal, every employee must be physically and mentally healthy and able to work with vitality while fully demonstrating their abilities and individuality. For this reason, with the aim of raising employees’ health awareness, the company promotes a variety of initiatives, including the organization of health events, the implementation of health promotion programs, and the launch of a health support website (learning platform). The following initiatives to promote health through food were recognized, and the company was certified as one of the “Food and Nutrition Education Practice Excellent Corporation 2026.”

■ Holding the “Measure, Know, Change” Health Event
To encourage employees to become more aware of their own health, the company held an in-house event designed to help them “measure” their physical and nutritional condition through body composition*1 and AGEs (advanced glycation end products) assessments and the group’s nutrition tracking service*2, better “know” their own condition, and turn that knowledge into behavior change (“change”). As support for “change,” the company introduced group products*3, including foods that make calorie control enjoyable and low-carbohydrate and lower-calorie rice products, creating a framework that enabled employees to act that very day on the “change” they might otherwise be inclined to put off. On the day of the event, more than half of employees participated, with many expressing interest in “incorporating these practice right away” and “continuing regular measurements.”

■ Utilizing the Lifestyle Improvement Support Program
In collaboration with the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Health Insurance Association, the company implements a lifestyle improvement support program*4 designated to promote healthier daily habits. The program focuses on the three key daily lifestyle habits of “eat, sleep, and walk” and on “prevent” infection and disease. Under the theme of “eat,” lectures on improving dietary habits are delivered by renowned instructors, along with concrete methods that can be put into practice on the same day. For “walk,” the program encourages the establishment of daily healthy habits with a goal of 5,000 steps per day. Program participants are awarded points that can be used to purchase health foods and other items, helping them continue healthy behaviors while enjoying the process.

■ Holding Morning Wellness Events
To help employees establish a habit of morning exercise and encourage regular breakfast consumption, the company regularly holds events before the start of the workday featuring stretching, strength training, and yoga. The events are offered in a hybrid format, both on-site and online, to make participation easy. At the on-site venue, the environment is designed to naturally encourage communication among employees from different departments. The nutritionally balanced foods*5 provided by group companies are also offered to encourage regular breakfast consumption.

In addition to the company’s certification, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a group company, was also certified as one of the “Food and Nutrition Education Practice Excellent Corporation 2026.”

Based on the corporate philosophy of "Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide," the Otsuka group will continue to contribute to the health and well-being of people around the world.

*１: Measures levels of body water, protein, minerals, body fat, and other components
*2: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.’s “Vivoo.” A nutrition tracking service that allows users to assess their nutritional status on the spot by scanning a urine-soaked strip (test strip) with a dedicated app. Based on the results, it provides dietary and lifestyle advice supervised by registered dietitians to support healthy lifestyle habits.
*3: Otsuka Foods Co., Ltd.’s “My Size” and “Mannan Gohan”
*4: The “Kuu Neru Aruku + Fusegu” program provided by Value HR Co., Ltd.
*5: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.’s “Calorie Mate”