The Otsuka group contributes to regional development by working together with local residents on social and cultural projects. In particular, we are investing in areas that include maintaining and improving people's health as well as disaster relief, and other projects connected to our business domains from a medium- to long-term perspective. In 2022, the Otsuka group donated ¥4.1 billion for initiatives that included disaster relief.
Examples of Activities
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SATU HATI (One Heart) in Indonesia
PT Amerta Indah Otsuka (AIO) has implemented a social action program for over 15 years in Indonesia based on the three pillars: education, the environment, and health.
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POCARI SWEAT manufacturer and distributor P.T. Amerta Indah Otsuka (AIO) developed a social action program called SATU HATI after providing support to areas affected by the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake to give back to the local community in Indonesia. The scope of the activities has been increased every year, and focus is on now the three pillars: education, the environment, and health.
In 2020, the Otsuka Eco Village initiative was launched as part of the SATU HATI to promote waste disposal and resource recycling. With the aim of encouraging building a community that can manage waste independently together with local residents, AIO supports initial awareness raising as well as building the infrastructure in several ways, including donating facilities for a recycling bank. -
Initiatives of US-based Sozosei Foundation
The Sozosei Foundation was established to spread awareness of medical issues, distribute information, and promote education on medical care and health, as well as contribute to related organizations in the United States.
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The Sozosei Foundation was established in 2019 by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., a US group company, to spread awareness of medical issues, distribute information, and promote education on medical care and health, as well as contribute to related organizations in the U.S. The name sozosei means “creativity” in Japanese. In addition to support in the psychiatric and neurological areas, the Foundation centers its activities on disaster relief and contributions to local communities.
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Social Contribution Program Using Crowdfunding
Taiho Pharmaceutical implements a social contribution program to support groups and individuals working to solve issues in the field of oncology that cannot be resolved with drugs alone.
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The company launched the Taiho Smile Support program in 2021. Taiho Pharmaceutical uses a website to call for organizations and individuals who plan to use crowdfunding to raise funds to address social issues. Selected organizations and individuals will conduct a crowdfunding campaign and if they raise 50% of the funds required for the project, Taiho Pharmaceutical will match this amount through a donation.
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Contributing to Local Communities through Sports
In addition to supporting soccer teams, we are involved in corporate sports through the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Track and Field Club.
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Tokushima Vortis is a J.League soccer team formed in 2004 as a way of contributing to the vitalization of the local community.
The team has its origins as the Otsuka Pharmaceutical corporate soccer team initially formed in 1955. After changing its name to Tokushima Vortis, the team was promoted to the J.League in 2005. Since 2005, the Otsuka group continues to sponsor the team and offer support by advising players on health and nutrition and by assisting with events at the team's home stadium.
Beyond playing soccer, Tokushima Vortis also works to solve issues affecting Tokushima Prefecture. Activities include soccer workshops for diverse age groups, from children to seniors. Furthermore, the team has been working with Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Mima City on a new project, the Vortis Conditioning Program, the first example of a social impact bond (SIB)* in the healthcare field involving a J.League team. Through these activities, players and coaches from Tokushima Vortis are helping local residents to maintain and improve their health as well encouraging them to take a greater interest in sport.*Social impact bonds are outcome-based programs where private-sector funds are used for initiatives that address social issues. Local governments then later reimburse or subsidize the costs according to the program's level of success.
Established in 1990, the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Track and Field Club sends athletes to represent Japan at international championships. In addition to their participation in training sessions, club members contribute to the local community by holding track and field workshops. Furthermore, since 2016, with the help of the Tokushima Track and Field Association, the club has held the Tokushima Athlete Meeting, which aims to encourage and support junior athletes in Tokushima Prefecture.
These are just a few examples of the wide range of sports-related projects that the Otsuka group continues to support as part of its contribution to the development of local communities.
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Disaster Relief
We deliver Otsuka products and other items in a disaster.
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The Otsuka group provides support by delivering Otsuka products and making donations following a disaster. As an example, when the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, the Otsuka group mobilized local offices to provide emergency relief supplies, such as beverages, water, and food. Otsuka group employees from across Japan took turns assisting relief efforts from a base in Sendai City, supplying oral rehydration solutions to evacuation centers to address dehydration among evacuees and leveraging Otsuka's assets for relief efforts. The Otsuka group also provided relief supplies in response to requests from government agencies and industry associations, and Otsuka Holdings made a large donation to the Japanese Red Cross Society on behalf of the 39,000 employees of the Otsuka group following calls for assistance from overseas group employees.
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Initiatives related to COVID-19
We played a part to help contain the spread of infection.
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The Otsuka group provided its products such as POCARI SWEAT, BODYMAINTÉ, Calorie Mate, and OS-1, as well as masks and protective clothing across Japan through local governments and affiliated organizations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Overseas, we donated to local medical facilities and the Red Cross, and other insitutions in addition to providing Otsuka beverages, foods, and medicines. For example, the US-based Sozosei Foundation donated $939,000 (approximately ¥100 million) to five charitable organizations and four organizations related to mental health and kidney disease.
Otsuka Group Initiatives Related to COVID-19
（Announced in November, 2020） -
Together with the Local Communities in Tokushima
As a company that originated in Tokushima, we continue to implement initiatives deeply rooted in the local communities.
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The Traditional Culture of the Awa Odori
As a company with its origins in Tokushima, we are keen to promote traditional Tokushima culture, and the most well-known aspect of Tokushima culture has to be the Awa Odori. Boasting 400 years of history, the Awa Odori is the most famous of many dance festivals held across Japan. At Awa Odori events, each team is known as a “ren,” and every year, four rens from the Otsuka group join the festival. The first is the Otsuka ren, which consists of more than one hundred workers from Otsuka Pharmaceutical. The second is the Otsuka Uzumaki ren, which inherited its name from the oldest ren from Naruto City, and consists of members from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory. The third is the Tiovita ren, from Taiho Pharmaceutical, which has a very fun and friendly spirit. Finally, taking its name from the Japanese word for ‘energetic,’ the Otsuka Hatsuratsu ren, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016, comprises members from Otsuka Chemical, Otsuka Warehouse, and Otsuka Foods.As well as dancing, members of the ren also play musical instruments, such as shamisen, gongs, drums, and flutes. Learning how to play these instruments, as well as coming up with new dance formations, creates new challenges for our staff—everyone takes it seriously and gives their best performance so that both participants and onlookers have a memorable experience.
An Annual Concert Held for Around 30 Years
Exciting Summer in WAJIKI
Each year during the Awa Odori season, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, with the help of local authorities, holds Exciting Summer in WAJIKI, a free outdoor concert on the premises of the Tokushima Wajiki factory. The event started in 1990, the year following the founding of the town of Wajiki (which in 2005 became incorporated into the new town of Naka), with the hope that with the help of young people from local authorities, industries, and associations, we could transform the rural community into a place where young people could come together. In 2019, around 3,500 people from all over Japan attended the concert. In addition, the Oronamin C Drink Presents Awa Odori Sound Festival, another free concert, has been held every year in Tokushima City since 1990 on the eve of the Awa Odori festival. The lineup boasts a large variety of artists and genres, and people of all ages can enjoy a delightful summer night of music. -
Established Otsuka Museum of Art
The Otsuka Museum of Art was founded in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, the birthplace of Otsuka, to commemorate our 75th anniversary.
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To commemorate the 75th anniversary of our founding, we opened The Otsuka Museum of Art in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, the birthplace of the Otsuka group of companies. This museum is one of the largest permanent exhibition spaces in Japan,* and houses over 1,000 ceramic reproductions of major works of Western art. Otsuka Ohmi Ceramics used special techniques to make actual-size ceramic reproductions of various works of art, from ancient wall paintings to modern paintings, originally exhibited in around 190 art museums in 26 countries. It is typical for original artworks to become discolored or to deteriorate due to environmental pollution, or sometimes even to suffer more extensive damage from disasters such as earthquakes or fires, but these ceramic reproductions should maintain their original color and shape for more than 2,000 years.
This unique approach of creating ceramic reproductions of masterpieces has incorporated many creative and unique ideas. For instance, the six parts of El Greco's “Santo Domingo el Antiguo Altarpiece” cannot usually be seen together at one time. However, our approach to creating a reproduction of this famous altarpiece has made it possible. We have also created a comparative exhibition of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, where visitors can see it before and after its restoration. Furthermore, we chose to exhibit our reproduction of Monet's The Water Lilies outdoors to fulfill the painter's wish that it be viewed in natural light. The museum has received many positive reviews from visitors from inside and outside Japan. The Otsuka group will continue to promote art and culture in the local community through the museum and its creative technologies and unique ideas.
* Total floor space: 29,412 m2
Contributing to Young People Shaping the Future (Internships, etc.)
The Otsuka group welcomes university students and others for internships. Through hands-on experience at group companies—such as Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Otsuka Warehouse, Otsuka Chemical, and Otsuka Foods—students can deepen their understanding of the importance of work and its connection to the future of society. In addition, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory has been running Otsuka JIM (Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing), a human resource development center within Otsuka Pharmaceutical India Private Limited since 2019. This Japanese-style manufacturing educational institute follows the Manufacturing Skill Transfer Promotion Programme advocated by the governments of Japan and India and is intended to strengthen cooperation in the manufacturing sector. JIM is certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as an institute where Japanese companies foster frontline leaders by instructing Indian young people on the discipline, spirit, and practical skills required at manufacturing worksites.