OM-X Developer
Dr.Iichiroh Ohhira Ph.D.

Born in Osaka on February 6,1936; the first 50 years of his life was eventful with it's ups and downs. He lost his parents at a young age and was raised by his aunt in Fukui Perfecture where he completed his junior high school. With a great ambition to study, he moved to a relative's house in Okayama Perfecture and finished his high school on a scholarship and a part-time job. Upon completing high school, he enrolled himself in Okayama University, Faculty of Agriculture. After graduating, he joined Ohi Securities Corporation (now known as Wakoh Securities) and worked with dedication and remarkable results for the next 10 years.

In 1971, he resigned and enrolled in the Graduate School of Agriculture, Okayama University to pursue his passion and desire to further his studies. After completing the course, he formed his own company, Ohhira Gardens & Parks Designing Office to focus his efforts in providing landscaping services and support. (This was the beginning of what was to be a long term association with lactic acid bacteria.)

It was in this capacity that he came to Malaysia to undertake the task of designing and supervising a 1.5ha (about 4 acres) park to be built near the Supreme Court Building in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah to commemorate the friendship between Malaysia and Japan.

For his effort and contribution, he was awarded the ADK (Ari Daja Kinabalu), a viscount from the Malaysian Goverment in September 1981. Dr.Ohhira is the second Japanese after Mr.Kounosuke Matsushita, founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd (Panasonic) to have received this honour.

It was during this period that, at a reception he felt unwell after drinking a very strong locally brewed alcoholic drink. A local staff offered him a cup of thick malt 'syrup like juice' urging him to take a spoonful to ease his suffering. Dr.Ohhira took the offer, half doubting it's efficacy. To his surprise, he became totally sober within two hours! What on earth was that? He returned to Japan with samples of the thick malt and upon investigation discovered that it contained lactic acid bacteria. Along with running his landscaping business, he did further research to try and reproduce the malt but was not able to achieve the required results. It was at this point that he decided to enrol once again in Graduate School to study fermentation processes at the age of 51.

After a harsh year of preparatory studies, he enrolled in the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University to undertake research in lactic acid bacteria. He flew throughout South East Asia collecting all the fermented foods from various places and managed to isolate and identify 15 different kinds of bacteria. From this, he discovered a particular strain of bacteria that has proteolytic power, 6.25 times stronger than those strains of the same genus and species. This strain is to be the key bacteria in OM-X.

Dr.Ohhira's completed his research and thesis successfully and obtained his doctorate in Natural Science in March 1990. In August, the following year, he was awarded the Japanese Dairy Science Association prize for his doctoral dissertation: "Distribution and Biochemical Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Traditional Fermented Foods in Southeast Asia". The Japanese Agricultural Chemistry Association and Japanese Microbiology Association, made numerous announcements in the academic circle on Dr.Ohhira's well researched products.

The key research fields of Dr.Ohhira had been the research and development of anti-allergy foods, lactic acid bacteria and other useful microorganisms, promotion of chemical free organic farming and fruit cultivation, and prevention of continous cropping related problems. Dr.Ohhira had also done research in chemical free golf courses, exploiting lactic acid bacteria and other useful microorganisms for this purpose.

Above all, Dr.Ohhira is a very caring and humble person and takes special care not only his business associates but also has a heart for the wellbeing of mankind. It is for this reason that he has dedicated his life to the research for the betterment of human health.

It has been more than 25 years since the mysterious experience in Malaysia.

Today, Dr. Ohhira keeps himself busy travelling around the world giving lectures and advise; with his motto "lactic acid bacteria saves the world".

He strives to save a great many people. He is the man, Dr.Iichiroh Ohhira.

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