The 18th OTC Medicines Awareness Event: “Let’s Learn about OTC Medicines and Use Them Properly:”

On Oct. 3, 2025, Governor Koike attended the 18th OTC medicines awareness event “Let’s learn about OTC medicines and use them properly,” hosted by the Japan OTC Pharmaceutical Association and others and held at the Kanda Myojin Cultural Exchange Center EDOCCO, in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.

Governor Koike stated, “As our society ages, the desire for us to enjoy vibrant, healthy, and long lives grows ever stronger. Holding the key to realizing this is to maintain our own health, acquire proper knowledge about medicine, and use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines appropriately.”

She then pointed out, “Looking back, self-medication has its roots in the wisdom and daily lives of people during the Edo period, who maintained their health using herbal medicine. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is promoting this wonderful wisdom and tradition, which has continued since the Edo period, to the world through the ‘Edo Tokyo Kirari Project.’”

“To realize an active longevity society, it is necessary for us to practice self-medication using OTC medicines more widely and understand them correctly. I hope this event will encourage many people to acquire the correct knowledge and usage of OTC medicines and actively engage in health management in their daily lives,” the governor emphasized.