Fuji Yakuhin Signs Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture

Fuji Yakuhin Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture; President and CEO: Masayuki Takayanagi; hereinafter "Fuji Yakuhin"), a diversified pharmaceutical company engaged in drug development, manufacturing, and sales, signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, on Monday, August 31, 2026, regarding disaster prevention, emergency response, and citizen health promotion. This marks the 53rd such agreement through its placement drug sales operations and the second in Okayama Prefecture, following Tamano City.

Fuji Yakuhin will collaborate with Bizen City through its placement drug sales activities, focusing on five key initiatives: disaster and emergency preparedness, citizen health promotion, community safety, elderly monitoring, and other measures to enhance public health, revitalize the local community, improve citizen services, and contribute to society. The agreement signing ceremony was held the same day at Bizen City Hall.

Agreement Signing Ceremony (from left: Mr. Tomonori Funao, General Manager, Division 5, Sales Headquarters, Placement Business Division, Fuji Yakuhin Co., Ltd.; Mr. Nobuyuki Nagasaki, Mayor of Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture)

【Five Areas of Collaboration】

(1) Disaster Prevention and Emergency Response: In the event of a disaster, Fuji Yakuhin will provide over-the-counter (OTC) medicines free of charge to evacuation centers upon request from Bizen City. Additionally, leveraging its regular sales visits to contracted customers—known as "itinerant sales"—the company will assist in distributing disaster prevention flyers and information to raise community awareness.

(2) Citizen Health Promotion: Placement sales staff are, by regulation of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, required to hold the qualification of Registered Seller (※1). Utilizing this expertise, sales representatives will conduct outreach activities during home visits, promoting the proper use of OTC medicines, prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, and seasonal illness prevention. Fuji Yakuhin will also collaborate with Bizen City to distribute flyers about municipal health checkups, cancer screenings, heatstroke prevention, and other public health initiatives.

(3) Community Safety and Security: Sales vehicles will display child safety stickers to support community watch efforts. Sales staff patrolling the city will report road damage or hazardous areas to the city in accordance with Bizen City's guidelines. Additionally, Fuji Yakuhin will discuss with the city the possibility of operating health check booths at municipal events.

(4) Elderly Monitoring and Support: During visits to elderly households, sales staff will check on health conditions and daily living situations. If any abnormalities are detected, they will share information with Bizen City or relevant agencies. They will also assist in searching for missing elderly persons during routine operations. Furthermore, pharmacists from Fuji Yakuhin Group-operated drugstores and pharmacies will be dispatched as lecturers to community-organized health salons for seniors, promoting proper medication use and the effective use of medication handbooks.

(5) Other Initiatives: Beyond the above, Fuji Yakuhin and Bizen City will discuss and implement additional measures that contribute to regional revitalization and the creation of a safe and secure community.

(※1) A Registered Seller is a professional qualification required for the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Holders possess specialized pharmaceutical knowledge and may sell all OTC medicines except Class 1 drugs, which are restricted to pharmacists.

【Background of the Agreement】

Bizen City has identified "strengthening public-private collaboration" as a key pillar of its sustainable urban development program, aiming to realize its vision of "a rich natural and cultural environment, a vibrant and attractive city, and energetic people—that is Bizen." The city is committed to building a sustainable and inclusive community (※2).

Meanwhile, Fuji Yakuhin operates under the slogan "Deliver vitality. Sustain vitality." and is dedicated to supporting people's healthy lives. Through placement drug sales, drugstore and pharmacy operations, and pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, the company strives to provide high-quality services that support local communities. In Bizen City, approximately 1,800 households and businesses currently use its placement drug sales service. Additionally, the Fuji Yakuhin Group operates nine drugstores and pharmacies within Okayama Prefecture. Recently, the company has been actively pursuing partnership agreements with local governments to support municipal community-building initiatives through its placement sales operations.

Given its close daily contact with Bizen City residents through placement sales, and recognizing that its door-to-door sales model can support the city's initiatives, Fuji Yakuhin has concluded this partnership. This marks the 53rd such agreement through its placement business and the second in Okayama Prefecture.

Fuji Yakuhin will work collaboratively with Bizen City to promote citizen health and contribute to regional revitalization.

(※2) "Third Bizen City Comprehensive Plan (Later Basic Plan)" https://www.city.bizen.okayama.jp/soshiki/3/32294.html

【About Fuji Yakuhin】

Founded in 1930 in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, as a placement drug sales business, Fuji Yakuhin has grown into a diversified pharmaceutical company operating placement drug sales, drugstores and pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and medical drug distribution. Under the slogan "Deliver vitality. Sustain vitality," the company leverages its nationwide placement sales network—filling the 'last mile'—and its 1,285 'Saimusu' brand drugstores (as of March 2026) across Japan to support people's daily lives and help realize a society where everyone can live a fulfilling life.

【Company Overview: Fuji Yakuhin Co., Ltd.】 URL: https://www.fujiyakuhin.co.jp

Company Name

Fuji Yakuhin Co., Ltd.

Representative

President and CEO: Masayuki Takayanagi

Head Office

4-383 Sakuragicho, Omiya-ku, Saitama City, Saitama 330-9508

Business Activities

Placement drug sales, drugstore and pharmacy operations, pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical drug distribution