Metagen Therapeutics and Nippon Life Insurance Tsuruoka Office Sign Second Fecal Donation Promotion Agreement
Metagen Therapeutics Inc. and the Tsuruoka Office of Nippon Life Insurance Company's Yamagata Branch signed their second 'Fecal Donation Promotion Agreement' on May 13, 2026. The agreement aims to promote 'fecal donation' in the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture for drug development using gut bacteria. Based on the agreement, Nippon Life will secure opportunities for its employees to donate and conduct awareness activities, while Metagen Therapeutics will provide free seminars on gut health. Together, they will strive to improve community health awareness and establish a new culture of social contribution.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 19, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 07:27 (20h 55m after Collected)
Metagen Therapeutics Inc. (Headquarters: Tsuruoka City, Yamagata; President & CEO: Taku Nakahara) and the Tsuruoka Office of Nippon Life Insurance Company's Yamagata Branch (Location: Tsuruoka City, Yamagata; Office Manager: Shohei Uemoto) signed their second 'Fecal Donation Promotion Agreement' on May 13, 2026.
'Fecal donation' is a new social contribution initiative where individuals with a healthy gut environment provide their stool for the development of new medicines utilizing gut bacteria. In April 2025, Metagen Therapeutics opened Japan's first fecal donation facility, the 'Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Room,' in Tsuruoka City and has been recruiting 'gut bacteria donors' from the Shonai region.
The two parties have now entered into this agreement to promote fecal donation in the Shonai region. Through this partnership, Metagen Therapeutics will contribute to raising health awareness by holding seminars on gut health for the employees of Nippon Life's Tsuruoka Office. In turn, the Nippon Life office will work to promote fecal donation by securing opportunities for its employees to get screened and donate, as well as by raising awareness both internally and externally.
As part of the initiatives under this agreement, the Nippon Life Tsuruoka Office is scheduled to exhibit and cooperate at the 'Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Thanksgiving Festival' (hosted by Metagen Therapeutics) on May 16, 2026.
◆ Overview of the 'Fecal Donation Promotion Agreement'
(1) The Nippon Life Yamagata Branch Tsuruoka Office, in collaboration with Metagen Therapeutics, will promote fecal donation in the region by securing opportunities for employees to register as gut bacteria donors and donate, and by raising awareness of the initiative both internally and externally.
(2) Metagen Therapeutics will certify the Nippon Life Yamagata Branch Tsuruoka Office as a 'Chomusubi Partner' and issue a certificate. It will also provide free gut health seminars to the company's employees.
(3) Both parties will cooperate on other initiatives deemed necessary upon mutual consultation.
Regarding the agreement, Narumi Ishizawa, Head of the Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Room at Metagen Therapeutics, stated:
"One year has passed since the opening of the 'Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Room.' We have received recognition and support from many in the Shonai region for this new initiative, and many people have applied to become gut bacteria donors. As we strengthen our system for the start of clinical trials for our drug in spring 2026, it is necessary to further develop an environment that supports fecal donation in the community. In this context, I am very encouraged by this agreement with the Nippon Life Tsuruoka Office. The combination of their community-focused approach and the creation of an environment that encourages fecal donation is expected to lead to both improved health awareness among employees and an expansion of the circle of donation."
Shohei Uemoto of the Nippon Life Tsuruoka Office also commented:
"We are honored to have signed this 'Fecal Donation Promotion Agreement' with Metagen Therapeutics. Contributing to the health promotion of the local community is one of our key themes. Through this agreement, we will provide our employees with opportunities to learn about health, deepen their understanding of fecal donation as a new form of social contribution, and create an environment that makes it easy to participate. As a locally-rooted company, we will support the improvement of health awareness among the people of Shonai and this challenge that leads to the future of medicine."
'Fecal donation' is a new social contribution initiative where individuals with a healthy gut environment provide their stool for the development of new medicines utilizing gut bacteria. In April 2025, Metagen Therapeutics opened Japan's first fecal donation facility, the 'Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Room,' in Tsuruoka City and has been recruiting 'gut bacteria donors' from the Shonai region.
The two parties have now entered into this agreement to promote fecal donation in the Shonai region. Through this partnership, Metagen Therapeutics will contribute to raising health awareness by holding seminars on gut health for the employees of Nippon Life's Tsuruoka Office. In turn, the Nippon Life office will work to promote fecal donation by securing opportunities for its employees to get screened and donate, as well as by raising awareness both internally and externally.
As part of the initiatives under this agreement, the Nippon Life Tsuruoka Office is scheduled to exhibit and cooperate at the 'Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Thanksgiving Festival' (hosted by Metagen Therapeutics) on May 16, 2026.
◆ Overview of the 'Fecal Donation Promotion Agreement'
(1) The Nippon Life Yamagata Branch Tsuruoka Office, in collaboration with Metagen Therapeutics, will promote fecal donation in the region by securing opportunities for employees to register as gut bacteria donors and donate, and by raising awareness of the initiative both internally and externally.
(2) Metagen Therapeutics will certify the Nippon Life Yamagata Branch Tsuruoka Office as a 'Chomusubi Partner' and issue a certificate. It will also provide free gut health seminars to the company's employees.
(3) Both parties will cooperate on other initiatives deemed necessary upon mutual consultation.
Regarding the agreement, Narumi Ishizawa, Head of the Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Room at Metagen Therapeutics, stated:
"One year has passed since the opening of the 'Tsuruoka Fecal Donation Room.' We have received recognition and support from many in the Shonai region for this new initiative, and many people have applied to become gut bacteria donors. As we strengthen our system for the start of clinical trials for our drug in spring 2026, it is necessary to further develop an environment that supports fecal donation in the community. In this context, I am very encouraged by this agreement with the Nippon Life Tsuruoka Office. The combination of their community-focused approach and the creation of an environment that encourages fecal donation is expected to lead to both improved health awareness among employees and an expansion of the circle of donation."
Shohei Uemoto of the Nippon Life Tsuruoka Office also commented:
"We are honored to have signed this 'Fecal Donation Promotion Agreement' with Metagen Therapeutics. Contributing to the health promotion of the local community is one of our key themes. Through this agreement, we will provide our employees with opportunities to learn about health, deepen their understanding of fecal donation as a new form of social contribution, and create an environment that makes it easy to participate. As a locally-rooted company, we will support the improvement of health awareness among the people of Shonai and this challenge that leads to the future of medicine."