【Japan's First, Tokyo Tower Dyes Purple】Guttee Simultaneously Launches IBD Patient/Family Exchange Meeting and Medical Tribune Joint Web Project to Coincide with "WORLD IBD DAY 2026"

Guttee Co., Ltd., which operates "G Community," Japan's largest online community for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, with its head office in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo and Representative Director Takuro Miyazaki, will participate in the "WORLD IBD DAY 2026 Light-up Event in Japan" to be held on Sunday, May 17, 2026. On that day, Tokyo Tower will be lit up in "purple" for the first time in Japan for IBD awareness. Through participation in official talk sessions and holding patient exchange meetings at this historic event, our company will strive to expand understanding and support for the disease. In addition, as a joint project with the medical information media "Medical Tribune," we will publish web content on themes such as delayed diagnosis, regional collaboration, and the latest nutritional management, bridging the gap between medical professionals and patient psychology.

■ Background: The "Invisible Wall" and Loneliness Faced by 420,000 People in Japan

IBD is an intractable disease in which inflammation of unknown cause occurs in the digestive tract. The number of patients in Japan is approximately 420,000 (※1) and continues to increase, with a notable characteristic being its onset particularly among young people in their teens and twenties.

Despite suffering from severe symptoms such as diarrhea, bloody stools, and abdominal pain, IBD patients often face difficulty gaining understanding from those around them because it is an "invisible disease" whose condition is not apparent from the outside.

■ Project (1): [Event] G Community Exchange Meeting & Participation in Official Sessions

Our representative, Miyazaki, and patient staff will participate in the following sessions within the official program of the "WORLD IBD DAY 2026 Light-up Event in Japan."

- 13:00 - 13:30: Talk Session "About Pediatric IBD"
- Our patient staff will speak. As individuals living with IBD themselves, they will share their struggles during childhood and school age, and the realities they want society to know.

- 13:50 - 14:20: G Community Exchange Meeting in Tokyo Tower (IBD Patient Exchange Meeting)
- Location: Tokyo Tower FOOT TOWN B1F "Tower Hall"
- Content: A real exchange venue where online friends can meet face-to-face.
- Target audience: IBD patients, their families
- Exchange meeting themes: Three tables will be set up for "Dietary Innovations," "Employment and Career," and "Pediatric and Transitional Care (Independence)," where experts and patients can engage in flat QA and information exchange.
- Pre-registration form: https://forms.gle/iFFjPNDpHQmoEPk96
- *Pre-registered participants are also planned to receive stomach-friendly snacks and original goods. Same-day participation without pre-registration is also possible.

- 15:10 - 15:55: "Let's Think About the Latest Nutrition Science and Gut Science!"
- Our representative, Miyazaki (US Registered Dietitian), will speak. From an expert's perspective, he will explain the latest nutritional management and dietary approaches that support QOL.

■ Event Outline (Overall)

Event name: WORLD IBD DAY 2026 Light-up Event in Japan
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 11:00 - 20:00
Organizer: General Incorporated Association Health Road
Co-organizer: Japanese Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (JSIBD)
Official website: https://world-ibd-day0519-event.site/

■ Project (2): [Web Project] Medical Tribune Joint Content Creation

Disseminating expert knowledge to bridge the "information gap" between healthcare professionals and patients.

In collaboration with Medical Tribune, a leader in medical information media, video and article content will be released multiple times.

- The "Blank Period" until diagnosis - Importance of Early Intervention Learned from Patient Psychology: Together with IBD specialists and patients, we will visualize psychological barriers such as "embarrassment" and "lack of information" that cause hesitation in seeking medical attention, and promote the importance of early access.

- Regional Collaboration that Prevents Isolation - IBD Treatment System Connected by Multiple Professions: We will introduce examples of advanced collaborations nationwide, presenting a model where communities work together to support patients.

- Dietary and Nutritional Management Supporting QOL - Latest Approaches: Our representative, Miyazaki, will explain the latest evidence from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) in an easy-to-understand manner for both healthcare professionals and patients.

■ Comment from Takuro Miyazaki, Representative Director of Guttee Co., Ltd.

"Many IBD patients find it difficult to 'live authentically' due to restrictions in daily life and concerns about those around them. Through this exchange meeting at Tokyo Tower and the project with Medical Tribune, we hope that they will feel a connection with empathetic peers and society. We look forward to meeting everyone on the day."

■ About Medical Tribune Co., Ltd.
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