Hello, I am Ichiro Otsuka, representative director of the Otsuka Toshimi Scholarship Foundation.
I assumed the post in December 2014 upon the departure of the late Akihiko Otsuka.

The Otsuka Toshimi Scholarship Foundation was established in 2007 with a private donation from the eponymous second daughter of Busaburo Otsuka, founder of the Otsuka Group. Toshimi Otsuka was a modest and unassuming woman who quietly supported the growth of the Otsuka Group. Her desire to help people in overseas countries and regions where the Otsuka Group operates--particularly in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa--led to the creation of the Foundation.

The Otsuka Group finds its origins in a company established in 1921 that manufactured bittern-based chemical raw materials in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture. The Group commenced overseas operations in 1973 and today boasts a global network encompassing approximately 47,000 employees across 178 companies in 28 countries and regions. It has contributed to the betterment of health and medicine in each of its operational areas. The Otsuka Group’s outstanding growth could not have been achieved without the great support of the respective countries’ governments, partners, workers, and clients. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to all the parties concerned.

The Otsuka Toshimi Scholarship Foundation aspires to contribute to the development of overseas countries by helping to find and nurture talented individuals in those countries. In line with the expansion of the Otsuka Group’s global operations, we have greatly increased the number of eligible nationalities this fiscal year.

The Foundation has awarded scholarships to a total of 756 students over the past nine years.
Preparations are currently under way to provide scholarships to a large number of students again this year.

Our hope is that the assistance we provide will help you realize your dreams, give you a deeper understanding of Japan, and encourage you to serve as a bridge between your home country and Japan.
We look forward to receiving many applications.

April 2016

Ichiro Otsuka
Representative Director
Otsuka Toshimi Scholarship Foundation