Active Rugby Player Tomoki Kishio Launches Clinic at His Origin, Hanazono: Taisho Pharmaceutical's 'Lipovitan Sports' Acts as Special Sponsor

Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter 'the Company') continues to provide special sponsorship for the rugby clinic activities hosted by active rugby player Tomoki Kishio (hereinafter 'Kishio') through its 'Lipovitan Sports' series. The Company will support the newly launched 'Kishio-style Rugby Clinic' for the 2026 fiscal year.

As the first milestone, the first session of the 2026 season will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka City, Kishio's hometown and the starting point of his rugby career. Following this opening, educational activities for heatstroke prevention, utilizing the 'Lipovitan Ice Slurry Sports' (soft drink) from the 'Lipovitan Sports' series, will be systematically rolled out at Kishio-style Rugby Clinics nationwide.

Managing the physical condition of children engaged in outdoor sports during summer is becoming increasingly important year by year. This initiative aims to support the creation of an environment where children across the country who are passionate about rugby can play safely and enjoy the game to the fullest.

For Kishio, the Hanazono Rugby Stadium is a special place where he has etched numerous dramas since his student days. He will take his first new step for the 2026 season on this very ground, which can be called the origin of his journey.

[Background of Sponsorship: Creating an Environment for Children to Play Rugby Safely] In recent years, with rising summer temperatures, managing the physical health of children participating in outdoor sports has become a common challenge for parents, coaches, and local communities. In outdoor sports involving physical contact like rugby, consideration for the heat environment during practice and matches is indispensable.

The Company has supported the development of rugby for 25 years. The 'Lipovitan Sports' series offers products to support athletes, and 'Lipovitan Ice Slurry Sports' (soft drink) is a beverage that allows one to drink fine ice dispersed in moisture by freezing it.

In the 2026 sponsorship, the Company deeply empathizes with the philosophy of the 'Kishio-style Rugby Clinic,' which restarts under a new name, building upon the nationwide rugby promotion activities Kishio has been engaged in since 2021. The vision of 'correcting regional disparity' and 'ensuring continuity of opportunities' held by Kishio aligns with the Company's goal of creating an environment where children nationwide can commit to rugby with peace of mind.

In 2026, the Company will continue to provide 'Lipovitan Ice Slurry Sports' to participating children and, together with Kishio, will conduct educational campaigns for parents and the wider community on the importance of heatstroke prevention in summer sports activities.

[About 'Kishio-style Rugby Clinic': A New Start as Chapter Two] The rugby clinic activities hosted by Kishio started in 2021 with the goal of 'correcting regional disparities in the Japanese rugby world.' Over five years, the sessions have been successfully held in all 47 prefectures of Japan. In the 2025 fiscal year, it was held in 13 locations nationwide, with 402 children participating.

However, through five years of activity, there were cases where the visits were limited to one-time events, highlighting issues regarding 'continuity of opportunities' and 'systematizing coaching not dependent solely on Kishio himself.' To address these challenges, the name was changed from 'Tomoki Kishio's Rugby Clinic' to 'Kishio-style Rugby Clinic' on February 28, 2026, marking the start of its second chapter.

[Features of the Kishio-style Method] The core of the 'Kishio-style' lies in 'realizing growth in basic skill instruction' and 'know-how in event operation.' Featuring a menu designed for children to ask questions themselves, the 3-step cycle of '(1) Understanding → (2) Execution → (3) Improvement' is a key characteristic. Furthermore, it involves not just the participating children, but also parents and community members, providing an experience that makes them 'love rugby even more' through carefully crafted mechanisms before and after participation.

[Two Active Players Joining from the 2026 Fiscal Year] From the 2026 fiscal year, in addition to Kishio, two active players who share the same aspiration will join, delivering 'the real thing' from different perspectives.

- Keitaro Hitora (belongs to Hanazono Kintetsu Liners) - Taichi Takenaka (belongs to Mie Honda Heat)