Read the full article with photos at:

https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/company/globalnews/2013/0315_01.html

The March 15th, 2013 event kicked off as fish of all sizes swam in an aquarium in Shinagawa, Japan, while a professor of ophthalmology, Shigeru Kinoshita, from Kyoto talked about the essence of dry eye and about its latest treatment.

An Aquarium was chosen as the site for this seminar, so that the participants were able to understand what dry eye is and to learn about the similarities and differences between the eyes of fish and humans.

The body surfaces of a fish, including its eyes, are covered with mucous membranes. In contrast, during the course of evolution, the body surfaces of humans keratinized from mucous membranes into layers of skin, which is more tolerant to dryness.

The surface of human eyes, however, has remained as mucous membranes in order to retain its transparency and smooth, hairless nature. A layer of tears on top of mucous membranes covering eye surfaces are what protects the eyes from dryness. Healthy, normal mucous membranes and mucous play important roles in keeping the tears clean, as in neat and smooth rather than hygienic clean.

Professor Kinoshita pointed out that dry eye is not just about quantity of tear fluid. The eyes sense 'dryness', 'gritty/sandy sensation', 'pain', and discomfort, because mucin, which is one of the tear components, decreases and the ocular mucous membrane becomes irritated.

Japan is a leading nation when it comes to the treatment of dry eye, says Professor Kinoshita. Until recently, available medications only affected the quality of tears, but now a more proactive dry eye medication is available that can treat both mucin and the mucous membrane.

Read the full article including photos at 

https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/company/globalnews/2013/0307_01.html

On March 7th, 2013, the first Otsuka Media Exchange was held at Tokushima, Japan, the origin of Otsuka just an hour south by plane from Tokyo.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical President & Representative Director, Taro Iwamoto, Ph.D. presented to the media Otsuka’s achievements over the past 3 years. He spoke about the main business areas including Central Nervous System, cardio-renal area, oncology and ophthalmology. The presentation was entitled “all for creativity”, and demonstrated Otsuka’s spirit of creativity from tip to toe.

Dr. Iwamoto pointed out that there were 2 specific types of ‘innovations’ during his presentation which showed exactly what Otsuka’s pharmaceutical business aims to offer.

First, it is innovation through “new indication in new category”, which is about the ability to take our new first-in-class-in-the-world drugs and develop them into altogether different therapeutic categories. Second, it is innovation through “prevention of disease relapses” by offering compliance-management in central nervous disorders.

Director of Fellow Qs' Research Institute, Tetsuro Kikuchi, Ph.D., talked about Otsuka’s demanding and “unsmooth” research style in the course of searching for neuropsychiatric drugs.

“Otsuka’s drug discovery does not rely on computer algorithms, but relies heavily on each and every researcher’s inspiration and his or her passion to follow through that belief - it is that spirit of never-giving-up that leads to our success” says Kikuchi.

Ulf Wiinberg, the CEO of Lundbeck, one of Otsuka’s global partners, was a guest speaker. He highlighted that Otsuka-Lundbeck partnership is one of the largest ever seen in the field of Central Nervous System and hence the enormous promise that the alliance holds for the patients.

Dr. Iwamoto noted Otsuka’s alliances are ‘horizontal collaborations’, and is the single most important factor in partnerships. Both partners should be able to contribute strengths to their mutual benefits and at times progress through friendly rivalry.

There was also a surprise performance by Japanese calligraphy artist, Souun Takeda. Master calligrapher Takeda created artwork featuring two large Japanese characters, “Sou” and “Jitsu”.

The work of art was intended to reflect Otsuka’s motto. “Sou” translates to “creation” and “Jitsu”, the process of taking an idea and turning it into reality.

The two-story high Tomato Tree stands prominently at the Tokushima Institute which was the setting where nearly fifty international and domestic journalists to hear and discuss the growth of Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s business.

Read the full story with photos at 

https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/company/globalnews/2013/0224_01.html

Once again this year, Otsuka Pharmaceutical helped promote a healthy lifestyle in Japan by supporting Tokyo Marathon 2013. Every year since the first marathon in 2007, Otsuka Pharmaceutical supported the event, playing a part to help people who enjoy running to maintain their health.

Approximately 36,000 marathoners from around the world descended on Tokyo for the seventh annual Tokyo Marathon, which has a theme of "The Day We Unite.". And again this year, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Amino Value BCAA supplement endurance beverage was named official beverage of Tokyo Marathon 2013. Amino Value is an amino acid drink that supports an active sports life.

Top runners from around the world including 2012 defending champion Michael Kipkorir Kipyego from Kenya were among those at the starting line at 9AM. All were hoping to break the course record set by the Swiss runner Viktor Rothlin in 2008. As the athletes warmed up, volunteers were preparing refreshment stations along the marathon route, and providing supplies for use at aid stations, all amid the cold wind.

Just over two hours later at the finish line, Kenayan Dennis Kimetto beat last year's champion by six seconds to take the gold medal with a time of 2:06:50. Kimetto broke the course record and took home $120,000 for his victory at Tokyo Marathon 2013. Ethiopia's Aberu Kebede was the women's champion in 2:25:34.

Tokyo Marathon became the newest member of the esteemed World Marathon Majors series in last October, joining Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.

Marathon applicants for the Tokyo event continue to grow each year. The number of marathon runners is capped at 35,500 and 500 slots are set aside for the 10K run, including slots for physically challenged athletes. Otsuka Pharmaceutical is proud to play a part in this major effort to promote a strong and healthy lifestyle in Japan and Otsuka's support of this most important event will only grow in years to come.

Read the full article with photos at 

https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/company/globalnews/2013/0222_01.html

How can corporate Japan help revitalize the economy by creating greater gender equality in the workplace?

That was the hot topic at the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Summit 2013 on February 22nd in Tokyo, which addresses the overall theme of reformulating the design of Japanese society for the future. While progress had been made to create a more women-friendly business atmosphere in Japan, there remains a belief that the Japanese work force will remain dominated by men. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.'s CEO/President, Taro Iwamoto, PhD, has a different vision.

Dr. Iwamoto shared with summit participants his view that gender empowerment will not happen by waiting for systems to change. Rather, he noted that female and younger workers are uniquely positioned as change agents in Japanese culture, as they can bypass the existing systems and ways of thinking in ways that men do not.

Dr. Iwamoto personally, as well as the Human Resources department, mentor talented and ambitious women to fulfill Dr. Iwamoto's vision to increase women executives at Otsuka Pharmaceutical to 50% by 2020.