In an era when nutritionists play an integral role in various sectors including healthcare, education, and elderly care, a remarkable initiative has surfaced in Japan. The company SMS Co., Ltd, based in Minato-ku, Tokyo, recently announced the launch of their new rebranded service named 'Eichie Career,' previously known as the 'Nutritionist Employment Bank.' Starting from December 1, 2025, this service aims to provide holistic support to nutritionists and dieticians in facing daily challenges as well as navigating their career paths.
The Social Context
As Japan's society ages, the importance of extending healthy life expectancy has become increasingly relevant. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has initiated 'Health Japan 21 (Third Phase)' in 2024, which emphasizes the necessity for improvements in lifestyle habits to enhance longevity. This initiative sets concrete goals such as increasing the number of individuals maintaining an appropriate body weight, reducing the number of obese children, ensuring a balanced diet, and improving vegetable and fruit intake while decreasing salt consumption. Additionally, it acknowledges the need for maintaining social connections and creating accessible health promotion foundations for the community.
In light of these societal changes, the opportunities for nutritionists and dieticians to contribute are expanding across a wide range of fields, including healthcare, childcare, and local communities. However, alongside the increased flexibility in career development, many nutritionists face numerous challenges within their workplaces. Often, there is only one dietician assigned per workplace, leading to a feeling of isolation when it comes to seeking support or communication with colleagues in other disciplines.
Comprehensive Support from SMS
Since June 2011, SMS has operated the nutritionist community 'Eichie,' which serves as a platform for addressing work-related queries and concerns through Q&A sessions, sharing meal plans, and providing occupational support. As of October 2025, Eichie has surpassed 148,000 registered members. These members represent a diverse range of workplaces including hospitals, care facilities, kindergartens, and schools. Many seek Eichie as a source of information and community to address their shared challenges.
Eichie also offers educational content, termed 'Chienote,' which provides information on job-seeking techniques, national examination strategies, and practical articles beneficial to daily tasks written by nutritionists. There are sessions that deliver knowledge from experts such as university professors on topics like billing revisions, nutrition care management, and effective communication across various professions.
This platform aims not only to assist current nutritionists but also to provide future insights for students entering this profession, including timely updates on national examination answers. Furthermore, Eichie conducts biannual surveys among its members to keep abreast of quantitative data concerning their roles and workplace conditions.
Transition to 'Eichie Career'
Having previously operated the 'Nutritionist Employment Bank,' SMS is now integrating this service with Eichie's community to provide a seamless career support experience. This transition allows Eichie members to avoid duplicating their registration details and benefits them with a more coordinated employment service. As a result, members can consult about career matters, explore actual workplace conditions, and discuss potential job matches with knowledgeable career partners.
This integration acknowledges the reality that many nutritionists may often feel solitary in their workplace roles. By combining community support with career counseling, Eichie believes this initiative will empower nutritionists to objectively assess their career paths and options.
Eichie remains committed to supporting nutritionists in overcoming daily challenges, contributing to improved efficiency and job satisfaction, and providing new knowledge and career choices. This entire process is aimed at maximizing each individual’s professional potential while contributing to the overall health promotion of society.
Concept Behind the New Name and Logo
The name 'Eichie Career' retains its familiar branding for current nutritionists and aspiring students, providing a refreshed service for job transitions. In this initiative, Eichie Career is envisioned as a career counseling hub for specialists nurturing food and health. It’s not just a job listing service; it aims to foster a dialogue with job seekers to understand their current struggles and fundamental values, allowing both parties to collaborate on creating a workplace that is not just functional, but enriching.
The logo has been designed thoughtfully to symbolize a smooth transition, representing the support offered through the process of job hunting.
Company Overview
Founded in 2003 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2011, SMS Co., Ltd has transitioned to a Prime market on the Tokyo Exchange as of April 2022. The company focuses on constructing information infrastructure suitable for an aging society to improve the quality of life for people, underpinning their commitment to developing over 40 services aimed at various sectors such as healthcare, welfare, and senior living. With a workforce of around 4,528 employees as of March 2025, SMS continues to make strides in improving societal health through its innovations and initiatives.