History of Otsuka

In 1921 A chemical factory named Otsuka Seiyaku Kogyo-bu was founded by Busaburo Otsuka in the city of Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical was founded in 1964.

Since that time, the organization has expanded its research, development and manufacturing facilities in order to develop products in-house and bring them to market such as I.V solutions.

Behind these efforts stands our corporate philosophy, “Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide”. Otsuka Pharmaceutical takes a holistic, synergistic approach, with two businesses to focus on both the treatment of disease, and the maintenance and improvement of health.

Our pharmaceutical business is focused on the development of prescription drugs and our nutraceutical business develops nutritional consumer food and cosmetic products. These two businesses share a similar emphasis on scientifically driven creativity and scientific validation of product benefits.

All for our continued contribution to better health worldwide

We pride ourselves in not imitating others, proactively and tenaciously taking on difficult challenges, while maintaining rigorous, evidence-based approaches. By doing so we can continue to effectively contribute to better health worldwide.

The Otsuka group of companies creates innovative products for people around the world based on our corporate philosophy, Otsuka people creating new products for better health worldwide. Currently it operates 180 companies across 28 countries and regions.

Company’s Symbol

Change your preconceptions and be creative.

These three monuments, found in Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Human Resource Development Institute in Tokushima, serve to remind our employees to set aside preconceived notions, to maintain a flexible mindset and to be creative in all we do.

Bent Giant Ceda:

This piece features the trunk of a giant cedar that is deeply bent instead of being typically straight, with the trunk of a second cedar crossing on top of it. The delicately balanced piece-which at first glance appears unstable-was strong enough to withstand magnitude 5 tremors during the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. The piece speaks to the idea that appearances may reveal something completely different.

Giant Tomato Tree:

The giant tomato tree that covers the entire ceiling of the hall can produce more than 10,000 fruit per year, as a result of maximizing the fruit-producing potential through hydroponics that frees the roots from normal soil. 

The tomato tree is symbolic of employing new ideas to draw out potential.

Floating Stones:

This water garden features large stones that appear to miraculously float on a wide expanse of water, including some that seem to droop. The garden was created to capture and enrich the spirit of the people who look at it, and to free the mind for contemplation. The piece teaches us the importance of switching ideas and thinking beyond the conventional.

Driving on Two Wheels

Contributing to people’s health worldwide through two core businesses

Otsuka Pharmaceutical contributes to people’s health worldwide through its two core businesses:

Our pharmaceutical business, focused on creating breakthrough treatments for disease, and our nutraceutical business, providing innovative products to help everyone maintain or improve their health. We recognize that good health is a universal wish, and will continue to create innovative products to help people realize that.

Pharmaceutical Business

Otsuka Pharmaceutical takes a holistic, synergistic approach, with two businesses working in tandem to focus on both helping people get better and stay in good health. We say our business is driven on two wheels.

One wheel is our pharmaceutical business, focused on the discovery and development of ethical drugs. The second wheel is our nutraceutical business that develops nutritional consumer food and cosmetic products that are developed utilizing a solid scientific basis including the expertise accumulated in our pharmaceutical business. We have developed a range of unique consumer products for the maintenance and improvement of health, and in doing so, have created entirely new markets.

Nutraceutical Business

The term “Nutraceuticals” was created by combining the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceuticals”. It was coined in 1989 by Dr. Stephen L. DeFelice in the US, and refers to foods and drinks that have a scientific base and contribute to the maintenance of everyday health.

Our range of consumer products created since the 1970s fitted this definition well, and led to us adopt the term to describe our consumer business. We are continuing to develop innovative products based on scientific evidence that help make people around the world healthier and more active.