Japan’s Okinawa secret of life longevity is charming Kerala firms, clinical trials on

Picture a place where turning 100 isn’t a rare miracle but an almost expected milestone, where the elderly still cycle to the market, tend their gardens, and share laughter over bowls of simple, home-cooked food. This is not a health utopia or science fiction. It is everyday life in Okinawa, a tropical chain of islands in southern Japan often described as one of the world’s “Blue Zones”, regions where people live longer and healthier than almost anywhere else on earth. 

At the Japan Mela 2025, organised by the Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce Kerala (INJACK) recently, the buzz was not just about trade deals or technology collaborations. It was about how the Okinawan way of life, particularly a humble fermented soybean enzyme, could unlock a new frontier for Kerala, transforming it into a hub for natural health supplements and wellness innovation. 

Organisers at the Mela spoke with passion not only about Japanese business prowess but about Okinawa’s ‘longevity culture’, which is the blend of diet, discipline, and daily movement that keeps its people active well into their nineties. Central to this is an enzyme called Nattokinase, derived from Natto, a Japanese fermented soybean dish that has drawn scientific attention worldwide for its heart and blood circulation benefits. 

According to former Kerala Additional Chief Secretary K Elangovan, Honorary Vice President of INJACK, Okinawa’s people don’t just live long, they live well. “Their food, especially fermented soy, is naturally designed to keep the body in balance. It is not about miracle cures but about how everyday food sustains life. That’s something Kerala can learn from and build upon.” 

Elangovan added that many Japanese companies have already shown interest in collaborating with Kerala-based firms to synthesise Nattokinase in the state and explore the production of natural enzyme-based supplements. “Japanese firms are looking at Kerala seriously. The state has fresh air and water, biodiversity, the processing infrastructure, and the Ayurvedic heritage that make it an ideal partner for developing these wellness products,” he said. 

“Okinawa’s diet is proof that food can truly be medicine. When combined with Kerala’s deep-rooted wellness knowledge, it opens a plethora of possibilities for a nutraceutical industry in Kerala built on ancient wisdom,” Elangovan said. 

That possibility is already taking shape. Kerala-based Synthite Industries, a global leader in spice and natural extracts, has drawn inspiration from Japan’s longevity research and developed a supplement, which is now undergoing clinical trials. The company’s Executive Chairman, Viju Jacob, who is also the Honorary President of INJACK, said that they are expanding their presence in the nutraceutical frontier with the new product. 

“We’ve been studying this space closely. Our product, inspired by Nattokinase, is currently in clinical testing. While we can’t share specifics yet, the results so far are encouraging,” Jacob said.

Okinawa’s lifestyle has fascinated scientists for decades. The Okinawa Centenarian Study, launched in the 1970s, found that the region’s residents have some of the world’s lowest rates of heart disease, dementia, and cancer. Researchers credit this to a plant-based diet, strong social ties, lifelong physical activity, and the cultural belief in ‘Ikigai’, which means having a purpose in life. 

Among their staple foods, Natto stands out. It’s sticky, pungent, and not for everyone’s palate, but within it lies Nattokinase, a natural enzyme discovered in 1980 by Japanese scientist Dr Hiroyuki Sumi. Studies show it helps dissolve blood clots and supports healthy circulation, contributing to Okinawa’s extraordinary longevity.

The Okinawan idea of ‘Nuchi Gusui’, which means “food is medicine for your life”, finds an easy echo in Kerala’s Ayurvedic philosophy that health begins in the kitchen. Both traditions view longevity as the outcome of balanced living, not luck or luxury.