YAKULT HONSHA CO., LTD established in year 1935, the production of fermentation dairy milk drinks was only started on 9 April 1955. Dr. Shirota started distributing Yakult from his clinic, Dr Shirota the founder of Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd., started to consolidate his business by taking control of all the operations. Yakult has more than 70 years experiences of production and the fermentation dairy milk products sales history Today, YAKULT HONSHA CO., LTD is the world largest fermentation dairy milk drinks producer & distributor.

The founder of Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd is Dr. Minoru Shirota. He began developing Yakult in 1930 while he was with the Microbiology Department at Kyoto Imperial University's School of Medicine. Dr. Shirota believed that rather than curing a disease, it was much better to build a strong body that was able to resist the disease. He turned his attention to the study of microorganisms due to his strong belief that a type of bacteria- ‘lactic acid bacteria’ is capable of contributing to our health. On this moment, there are 28 countries and places cultured and selling Yakult Cultured Milk Drink and enjoyed daily by 2500 million people for health improvement.

Dr Shirota’s objective was to isolate a beneficial bacterium that would be able to survive through our stomach and bile acids to arrive alive in our intestines. There it would assist the functioning of our digestive system. Subsequently, he discovered that lactobacilli could also destroy harmful bacteria that live in our intestines. Excited by this finding, he conducted an exhaustive investigation of lactobacilli, whereupon he discovered a new strain of bacteria.

This strain of bacteria - Lactobacillus casei, was found to be the most acid and bile resistant and was subsequently named Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain in honor of Dr Shirota’s research. It was the discovery of this bacterium that led to the birth of Yakult.

Dr Shirota’s objective was to isolate a beneficial bacterium that would be able to survive through our stomach and bile acids to arrive alive in our intestines. There it would assist the functioning of our digestive system. Subsequently, he discovered that lactobacilli could also destroy harmful bacteria that live in our intestines. Excited by this finding, he conducted an exhaustive investigation of lactobacilli, whereupon he discovered a new strain of bacteria.

This strain of bacteria - Lactobacillus casei, was found to be the most acid and bile resistant and was subsequently named Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain in honor of Dr Shirota’s research. It was the discovery of this bacterium that led to the birth of Yakult.

The Yakult Central Institute for Microbiological Research

 Established in 1967 by Dr Shirota, the Yakult Research Institute is located in Tokyo, Japan. Its primary function is to investigate the use of beneficial bacteria in the promotion of health.

Today, over 170 research scientists and medical doctors are actively pursuing research aimed at applying bacteria effectively in the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

Yakult works closely with the scientific and medical communities, organizing conferences and funding research, all to increase understanding of the role of beneficial bacteria in health.

The pioneer of fermentation lactobacilli milk drinks

Dr Shirota’s objective was to isolate a beneficial bacterium that would be able to survive through our stomach and bile acids to arrive alive in our intestines. There it would assist the functioning of our digestive system. Subsequently, he discovered that lactobacilli could also destroy harmful bacteria that live in our intestines. Excited by this finding, he conducted an exhaustive investigation of lactobacilli, whereupon he discovered a new strain of bacteria.

The company raises Shirota’s ideas to the level of a pseudo-religion (“Shirota-ism”), and identifies as one of its defining values the notion that a healthy intestinal tract leads to a long life.