Otsuka Pharmaceutical 大塚製薬

Otsuka Pharmaceutical traces its founding to September 1, 1921, when Takesaburo Otsuka established the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Industrial Department in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, initially producing chemical raw materials. The Otsuka group expanded into intravenous infusion solutions in 1946, giving it deep expertise in fluid and electrolyte formulation that would later shape its most famous consumer product.

In 1980, Otsuka Pharmaceutical launched Pocari Sweat, an 'ion supply drink' developed by employee Rokuro Harima after he saw a doctor drink IV fluid to recover from dehydration during an overseas business trip. Pocari Sweat became a defining Japanese sports and hydration drink, sold across Asia and beyond, while Otsuka itself grew into a diversified pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and consumer health group headquartered in Tokyo.