People & CultureKyowa Kirin Participates as Part of Kirin Group in Tokyo Pride 2025

Kyowa Kirin proudly participated in Tokyo Pride 2025, one of Asia’s largest LGBTQ+ events, marking its third consecutive year of involvement. This report highlights the event and shares voices from employees who contributed as secretariat members and volunteers.

In 2025, aiming for deeper engagement, Kirin Holdings, FANCL, and Kyowa Kirin joined forces as ONE Kirin Group team to support employees and exhibit together at Tokyo Pride. Our three main objectives were: to express support for equal rights for all individuals; to communicate the Group’s shared respect for gender diversity, and to strengthen collaboration across company boundaries and foster awareness and inclusive culture among all employees.

As this was a first-time joint initiative, representatives from the three companies began meeting weekly three months in advance to prepare.

At the booth, the team set up a photo spot, exhibition panels, a survey area, and a digital voting space to create an inviting and enjoyable experience for visitors.

The top choice on both days was “What Did You Eat Yesterday?” Results were displayed onsite and shared internally, reinforcing the importance of diversity in building an inclusive culture.

The exhibition panels presented each company’s diversity policies and the activities of their internal ally communities.

Volunteers from all three companies staffed the booth.
Tetsuya Mizogami (Kyowa Kirin): “I joined to deepen my understanding of LGBTQ+ issues. I hope many people enjoyed themselves with smiles.”
Tomomi Suda-san (FANCL): “I was glad that many people learned about our companies’ efforts through this booth.”

Tokyo Pride 2025 attracted 15,000 participants under the theme “Same Life, Same Rights,” emphasizing that everyone deserves equal rights regardless of their attributes.
72 Kirin Group employees joined the parade, walking from Yoyogi Park through Shibuya and Harajuku. Participants included new employees, a reemployed retiree, and a parent with three children. Though strangers at first, the group quickly bonded, cheering “Happy Pride!” along the route.

From Kyowa Kirin, Abdul Mullick , COO, and Shoko Itagaki, CPO, also participated with the remark, "This is an important occasion, so we definitely wanted to join," Said Mullick COO
“I was pleased to see people from various backgrounds celebrating and enjoying themselves together. The venue was filled with warmth and energy, and I felt a great deal of positive energy. Our company’s vision emphasizes ‘the diverse team of experts with shared passion for innovation’ and one of the KABEGOE Principles, which guide our actions, is to ‘create spaces for all the voices.’ I believe that when each employee values their individuality and we celebrate and respect our differences in a safe and secure environment, the organization becomes stronger. I also believe that this leads to the realization of our vision and brings smiles to many people.”

Reflecting on the event, the Itagaki CPO said, “What impressed me personally was the enthusiasm and active communication among other companies and organizations. I am hopeful that together we can create a larger movement as a company. I believe it was good that we can demonstrate our commitment to DE&I both internally and externally as the Kirin Group.

Volunteers from the three companies worked so closely that it became hard to tell which company they belonged to. This unity was driven by the dedication of the secretariat staff.
Mariko Nakamura from Kyowa Kirin’s secretariat said, “After deciding on common goals among the three companies, we divided the tasks and reported progress at regular meetings. All the staff were very passionate and led the efforts strongly.”

Yuka Goto-san from FANCL, a key member of their ally community and participating in the event for the third time, actively led participants on parade day. “Although the secretariat staff belong to different companies, we shared the same passion and were able to unite our hearts to accomplish the mission.

Having participated as a volunteer last year and learned much, Ruka Katabami-san from Kirin Holdings volunteered for the secretariat this year. “I was very much looking forward to the day, but preparation was sometimes tough. However, with the cooperation of colleagues inside and outside the company, we overcame those challenges. Going forward, I want to share this experience internally and energize next year’s efforts,” she shared.

The Tokyo Pride 2025 event concluded successfully. Nakamura (Kyowa Kirin), participating in the parade for the first time, said: “I was moved by the sense of unity”. “Our activities do not end here. To share our initiatives and Tokyo Pride with employees who could not attend, we will hold a four-day exhibition event at headquarters. Going forward, we will continue to create an environment where LGBTQ+ employees do not have to struggle alone.”

To share the experience with employees who couldn’t attend, Kyowa Kirin held a four-day exhibition event at headquarters titled “Tokyo Pride Headquarters Pop-Up.” The exhibition featured panels and a photo spot. Many employees gathered to take photos and shared them on internal social media, expanding empathy and interest in the initiative.
Kyowa Kirin will continue to uphold values such as “Create Spaces for All Voices” and “Care for Others,” working in collaboration with the Group to deepen these efforts.