TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President, Representative Director: Taro Iwamoto) signed a partnership agreement with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games (Korea) and the 2019 Hanoi Asian Games (Vietnam) during the General Assembly held in Manila, the Philippines, on January 18. The Asian Games are organized by OCA and are the largest comprehensive sports event in the region of Asia.

• A partnership agreement has been signed for the Incheon Asian Games (Korea) in September 2014 and the 2019 Hanoi Asian Games (Vietnam). The Asian Games are the largest sports event in Asia.
• The population of Asian Games member countries totals approximately 3.8 billion^*1, which accounts for about half of the world population. Otsuka Pharmaceutical believes that sports are an important element of health for people in Asian countries, which are growing and changing dynamically, and will supply POCARI SWEAT as the official drink. This ion beverage is sold in 17 countries and regions, mainly in Asia. POCARI SWEAT quickly replenishes fluids and electrolytes lost through perspiration to support athlete conditioning and aid maximum performance. Otsuka Pharmaceutical is currently the sole Japanese partner of the Games. ^*2
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical first expanded overseas 40 years ago, starting with Asia (Thailand in 1973, Taiwan and Indonesia in 1974). The OIAA^*3 Division is currently expanding both pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals^*4 businesses in Asian and Arab countries and business scale has grown tenfold in the last decade.

*1 Total population of the 45 OCA-member countries/regions (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website)*2 As of January 20, 2014*3 Otsuka International Asia Arab*4 Nutraceuticals: nutrition + pharmaceuticals. Products developed with scientific basis to help maintain and promote everyday well-being.

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