Support Activities of the Sunstar Group of the 2018 North Osaka Earthquake in Japan

02 July 2018

Our thoughts are with everyone who was affected by the recent earthquakes centered in northern Osaka, Japan.

The Sunstar Group delivered the following disaster relief goods to the temporary evacuation shelters and relief supply center in Takatsuki area in response to the request of Takatsuki City in Osaka Prefecture, on June 21.

– 1,008 bottles of GUM dental rinse, 80ml (mouth wash)

– 648 sets of GUM travel set (dental paste and toothbrush)

In addition, although we have many bases in the northern part of Osaka, there were no employees nor families injured at our group companies and no major damage to facilities.

The Sunstar Takatsuki factory that manufactures toothpastes and dental rinses stopped operation for 2 days from June 18. After checking the equipment from the viewpoint of safety and quality, we restarted operation from June 20.

We will continue making efforts to ensure safe and reliable operation and supporting to regain our daily life as soon as possible together with our local stakeholders.

Our Activities to Acknowledge the Importance of Oral Care in Case of Disaster

After learning various lessons from prior major catastrophes in Japan, Sunstar began actively communicating information on oral care in the wake of disasters. A major earthquake can destroy large numbers of houses and buildings and leave a vast number of people―sometimes tens of thousands―without homes. Local schools and their gymnasiums become temporary shelters, and many people spend several weeks or months there together. These shelters are often short of water, and space for washrooms is limited, which discourages people from brushing their teeth or caring for their dentures. Many will see their oral hygiene condition worsen. In the aftermath of major disasters in the past, many of the elderly, who were weaker and less resistant to illnesses died of aspiration pneumonia. We have shared information in various ways on oral care methods in the evacuation centers, and we will continue to provide the information through website below.

Sunstar “Importance of Oral care in case of disaster” (Web site)
http://jp.sunstar.com/bousai/en/