Shohei Ohtani Appointed as Kirin's "Immune Care" Promotion Ambassador
"I hope that through immune care, more people will become and stay healthy."

TOKYO, December 16, 2025 - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin Holdings) is committed to creating a society where everyone, from children to adults, can live bright and healthy lives. To this end, Kirin Holdings is pleased to announce the formal appointment of Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers as the “Immune Care” Promotion Ambassador. As the first phase of advertising, starting January 1, 2026 (Thursday), Kirin will launch a nationwide campaign to promote “Immune Care” using the “Kirin iMUSE supplement series” featuring Shohei Ohtani.

The Kirin Group aims to “A global leader in CSV*1, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” As part of this initiative, the Group has launched products across its businesses featuring LC-Plasma, which was the first in the world to be reported in scientific papers *2 as acting on pDC (plasmacytoid dendritic cells), the command center of the immune system. Through the LC-Plasma “Immune Care” initiative, the Kirin Group will continue to deliver health value to consumers.

To further advance this initiative, Kirin has appointed Shohei Ohtani as “Immune Care” Promotion Ambassador. This decision reflects the strong resonance between Shohei Ohtani’s personal commitment— “With a growing family and frequent travel for games, I place great importance on immune care for managing my health. I hope that through immune care, more people will become and stay healthy."—and the Kirin Group’s vision.

Shohei Ohtani, who continues to excel on the global stage, is widely recognized for his meticulous attention to health management and his commitment to maintaining peak performance. Now, as a father with a growing family, his awareness of personal health has become even stronger. Together with Shohei Ohtani, the Kirin Group aims to promote “Immune Care” nationwide.

As part of this partnership, the first phase of advertising will begin on January 1, 2026 (Thursday), with TV commercials and outdoor advertisements. Following this, Kirin plans to launch additional initiatives, including behind-the-scenes footage of the commercial, interview videos, and a large-scale project led by Shohei Ohtani to promote “Immune Care.”

*1 Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.
*2 The first lactic acid bacteria reported in scientific papers to act on pDC (plasmacytoid dendritic cells) in humans, based on information published in PubMed and Ichushi-Web.

Shohei Ohtani Comment

Hello, this is Shohei Ohtani. I am honored to be appointed as Kirin’s “Immune Care” Promotion Ambassador and to help raise awareness about the importance of immune care.
With a growing family and frequent travel for games, I place great importance on immune care to manage my health. I hope that through immune care, more people will become and stay healthy.
I encourage everyone to include the Kirin iMUSE supplement series as part of their immune care routine.

Profile

Shohei Ohtani

・Born July 5, 1994 (age 31), from Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
・Joined the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2013 as a first-round draft pick from Hanamaki Higashi High School
・Joined the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2017
・Transferred to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023
・Achieved the “50-50” milestone in 2024 with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases
・Selected as MLB’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall in 2025

Product Information: Kirin iMUSE supplement series

Kirin iMUSE Immune Care Supplement (7-day, 15-day, 30-day, 60-day supply)

・Each serving of 4 tablets contains 100 billion LC-Plasma (Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma, a postbiotic) to support the maintenance of immune function in healthy individuals, plus added oligosaccharides.
・Easy to take daily with water or other beverages.
・Recommended daily intake: 4 tablets

Kirin iMUSE Immune Care + 8 Multivitamins (7-day, 15-day, 30-day supply)

・Each tablet contains 100 billion LC-Plasma to help maintain healthy immune function, along with eight essential vitamins.
・Small-sized tablets for efficient daily nutritional support.
・Recommended daily intake: 1 tablet

Kirin iMUSE Immune Care & Visceral Fat Down (15-day supply)

・Japan’s first food with functional claims registered to provide dual benefits for immunity and visceral fat!
・Each serving of 2 tablets contains 100 billion LC-Plasma and 22 mg of kudzu flower-derived isoflavones.
・Recommended daily intake: 2 tablets
*3 Japan's first supplement registered and announced as a food with functional claims with dual functions for immunity and visceral fat.

Kirin iMUSE Professional LC-Plasma supplement (15-day supply)

・Contains 100 billion LC-Plasma to support immune function. It also uniquely combines Barrier Vitamin C*4.
・Chewable yogurt-flavored tablets for easy intake.
・Recommended daily intake: 2 tablets
*4 In this product, "Barrier Vitamin C" refers to L-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside, a form of vitamin C that is more resistant to heat, light, and oxidation compared to regular vitamin C. This product uses 20% Barrier Vitamin C in its vitamin C content.

[Food with Functional Claims Labeling]
"Kirin iMUSE Immune Care & Visceral Fat Down"
＜Notified Claims＞
This product contains LC-Plasma (Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma). LC-Plasma has been reported to act on pDC (plasmacytoid dendritic cells) and help maintain immune function in healthy individuals.
This product also contains kudzu flower-derived isoflavones (as tectorigenin compounds). Kudzu flower-derived isoflavones (as tectorigenin compounds) have been reported to help reduce body weight, abdominal fat (visceral and subcutaneous fat), and waist circumference in individuals with a tendency toward obesity.

"Food with Functional Claims other than the above"
＜Notified Claims＞
This product contains LC-Plasma (Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma). LC-Plasma has been reported to act on pDC (plasmacytoid dendritic cells) and help maintain immune function in healthy individuals.

● Maintain a balanced diet based on staple foods, main dishes, and side dishes.
● This product has not been approved by the government.
● This product is not intended for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease.

Reference Information: About LC-Plasma

LC-Plasma refers to Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma, a postbiotic), which has been reported to help maintain immunity in healthy individuals. It is the world’s first lactic acid bacteria shown in scientific papers to act on pDC (plasmacytoid dendritic cells), the command center of the immune system.
Kirin, Koiwai Dairy Products Company, Limited, and Kyowa Hakko Bio Co., Ltd. have jointly advanced research in collaboration with universities and research institutions both in Japan and overseas. To date, they have published 37 papers*5 and presented numerous findings at academic conferences. (As of the end of November 2025)

*5 As of the end of November 2025

About Kirin Holdings

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.

Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery, which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company has expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.

Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV*, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals”. Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.

* Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers and society at large.

GALLERY