Major Japanese firms to drive industry-government-academia partnerships in longevity
Several major Japanese companies are part of a new collaborative platform to foster industry-government-academia partnerships in the field of longevity.
The ASAGI Labs Longevity Consortium was officially launched on June 1, with participating members comprising Asahi Group’s research subsidiary Asahi Quality & Innovations Ltd (AQI), Alfresa Holdings Corporation, ASAGI Labs Inc, NTT Precision Medicine, Meiji Holdings, Morinaga & Co Ltd and Rohto Pharmaceutical.
It aims to bring together academia, corporations, local governments, medical institutions, and non-profit organizations to promote R&D and the co-creation of new longevity-related businesses.
Awareness of FFCs high but more needs to be done to raise uptake – Japan survey
Tokyo-based market research firm MyVoicecom has released results from its survey on FFCs, which indicate that though awareness of these products is high, more work is needed to increase consumption rate.
The company conducted the online survey from March 1 to 7, 2026, and collected 11,179 responses in total.
Some 38.7% of respondents said that they “know about functional foods but have never used them”, suggesting a high awareness rate of over 80%. However, only 28.4% of respondents have consumed functional foods in the past year.
Cumin essential oil may improve cognitive function in healthy seniors
Daily consumption of a cuminaldehyde-rich cumin essential oil (CEO) may boost reaction times in healthy seniors, says a new study from Japan.Data published in Frontiers in Nutrition indicated that 12 weeks of supplementation with the CEO providing a daily cuminaldehyde dose of 25mg led to an 8% improvement in psychomotor speed and a 10% decrease in reaction time.
Overall, this study suggests that the daily intake of CEO has a beneficial effect on cognitive function in the elderly, and provides foundational knowledge that could contribute to strategies aimed at extending the healthy life expectancy of older adults.
Baycosmetics launches supplement business after securing in-demand packaging supply
Japanese cosmetics OEM company Baycosmetics has set up a health foods and supplements division after securing packaging materials that are facing shortage in the country.
Aluminum pouches are a widely used packaging for dietary supplements and health foods. The outer layer of the pouch is typically made of aluminum and the inner layer naphtha-derived polyethylene film.
Baycosmetics has concluded long-term supply agreements with multiple material suppliers prior to launching its health foods and supplements business division. This has secured a stable supply line for aluminum pouches, equivalent to approximately 2% of domestic demand in Japan, or up to 100 million units.
Piceatannol intake shown to improve skin hydration, wrinkles: Morinaga-funded study
A study funded by Morinaga & Co Ltd shows that daily intake of piceatannol (PIC) led to a significant improvement in skin hydration and wrinkles, underscoring its potential as a dietary intervention for enhancing moisture retention and the appearance of crow’s feet.
The study was conducted among healthy Japanese women aged 30 to 59 years.
“By enhancing the skin’s barrier function and improving visible signs of aging, PIC might support the psychological and vitality domains of intrinsic capacity, eventually helping to maintain or even enhance overall functional capacity in the aging population,” the researchers wrote.
