Japanese pharma companies are steadily penetrating global markets

Although overseas turnover of Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturers (31 companies in number) reached only 922.7 billion yen ($8.67 billion) in 2000, this more than doubled to 2,018.0 billion yen in 2006, according to the Data Book 2008 compiled by the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.

Over the year, foreign sales have increased steadily - up from 1,339.0 billion yen (28 companies included) in 2002, 1,536.0 billion yen (29 companies) in 2004 to 2,018.0 billion yen (28 companies) in 2006 as a result of business expansion into global markets by the leading Japanese drug firms.

However, the number of research facilities abroad remains almost unchanged, the JPMA survey found. These totaled 24 with investments by 12 companies in 2000, 26 from 15 firms in 2002, 23 from 13 in 2004 and 23 from 10 in 2006. By location, in 2006, 15 research units from 10 drugmakers were located in the USA, followed by three from three companies in the UK, two from two in China, and one from three in the Netherlands, Germany and Singapore, respectively.