Japanese giant Otsuka Pharmaceutical has officially signed on as a sponsor for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya 2026, according to local media reports. Set to run from September 19 to October 4, 2026, the Games will welcome around 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries and territories, including Cambodia’s national squad. This marks the sixth time the company has backed the regional sports spectacle.
For anyone living in Phnom Penh, that iconic blue bottle needs no introduction. Local media noted that Pocari Sweat is brought into Cambodia exclusively by FULUSHOU F&B, imported straight from Otsuka’s manufacturing plant in Indonesia. Under the brutal Cambodian heat—where navigating hot motorbike exhaust or sitting down for a scalding bowl of street-side noodle soup leaves you drenched in sweat—it has become a daily essential. Night-shift workers, commuters, and laborers routinely pop into neighborhood corner shops to grab an ice-cold bottle to recharge.
The company originally formulated the drink over 40 years ago around the concept of a "drinkable IV drip," aiming to rapidly replenish the fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat. Alongside the Asian Games announcement, Otsuka and its Cambodian partner reaffirmed their commitment to promoting daily hydration awareness and supporting the local sports scene.
While international sports tournaments are always fun to watch, for everyday folks battling the relentless heat on the streets, having a reliable, ice-cold electrolyte drink close at hand is what truly matters.
