CPhI Japan 2025

Date:  April 9-11, 2025

Venue：Big Sight Exhibition Center, Tokyo, Japan

Organizer：UMB

Frequency: Annually 

Co-located event: P-MEC/InnoPack/ICSE/BioPh

Description of the event 

CPhI Japan is Japan’s most comprehensive pharma event, which brought together in 2023 24,000+ pharma industry professionals from 67 countries. A wide range of exhibitors from all pharma areas active in Japan as well as free to attend seminars presented by governmental bodies and other important institutions is what you can find. Hosting exhibitors from ingredients, contract services and biopharma through to technology, packaging and machinery - CPhI Japan and co-located events is your ultimate one-stop-shop to find the latest Japanese pharma solutions:

CPhI: for pharmaceutical ingredients

ICSE: for contract manufacturing and services

P-MEC: for pharmaceutical and laboratory machinery, technology and equipment

BioPh: for biopharmaceutical development and services

InnoPack: for pharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery systems

2017(Jakarta, Indonesia) statistics: 

5 events, 550 exhibitors, from 32 countries

Exhibitor showcases with 72 sessions, Conference within 16 sessions, Business Matchmaking with 629 matches and Customer Insight Lounge where event experiences were shared

19509 visitors from 67 countries

Testimonials 

"Attending CPhI Japan was a good chance to get in contact with Japanese companies and to understand the Japanese Pharmaceutical Industry situation and trends. Our participation at CPhI Japan made us realize that the Japanese pharmaceutical market is really interesting and that’s why this year we decided to hold a speech about Data Integrity and the support we can provide regarding this matter.

We are looking forward to attend this wonderful exhibition again and to exchange our experience with local Japanese companies."

- Andrea Salvadori, Sales Area Manager, PQE -

"CPhI Japan is great to meet and network with existing and new partners in the pharma industry. We barely had time to breathe during the three days and the quality of the meetings were excellent. We look forward to next year's show!" 

- Silke Oeschger, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. -

"If you want to expand your business in a relaxing and well organized environment, don't miss the opportunity to join CPhI Japan"

- Fabio Pirola, Business Development Manager, Erregierre -

"CPhI Japan is a great platform for foreign manufacturers to be part of the Japanese pharmaceutical industry."

- Srihari, Director, Phalanx Labs Private Limited -

"A major event in Asia where the pharmaceutical world gets together for major discussions, networking and business prospects. A unique opportunity for us, a leading anti cancer manufacturing company, to meet with Japanese pharma companies" 

- Waldo Mossi, Helsinn Advanced Synthesis -

"An event that is full of potential to expand existing business, explore new markets, learn the latest trends in the industry and to learn about the business culture" 

- Ashish Trivedi, Dishman Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals Limited -

Japan Pharma Market 

Japan has the world’s third largest pharma industry. Yet, for many international companies the market has not proved easy to access. Very high barriers to entry have combined with a historically insular domestic market to limit opportunities. This is now changing. Japan’s domestic

market is looking increasingly at exports, and international companies are seeking opportunities to invest in and access the large, well-funded healthcare system.

Japan is enjoying its longest sustained period of growth in over a decade. The pharmaceutical sector is forecast to reach $72 billion by 20211, representing 17% growth between 2011–2020. An aging population and broad access to healthcare are the driving factors. With over 100 domestic pharma companies, such a fragmented market is likely to develop into an acquisitional environment, particularly with internationals looking to enter.

Demographics are shaping the Japanese pharma industry. The population has declined and aged over the last few decades due to low birth and migration rates. Life expectancy is now 85 years2. The result is a rising dependency ratio coupled with a shrinking tax base placing ever-greater financial strain on the system. Without change, insurance premiums and healthcare spending will inevitably increase.

There are a number of challenges ahead as many patents expire and annual price cuts and generics take hold. Another problem is a growing funding gap, which, if unchecked, will rise to around $160 billion by 2020 and $370 billion by 20353. Simply increasing the country’s insurance premiums is a suboptimal response as it will damage sectors beyond pharma by increasing labour costs and reducing competiveness.

Also, co-payment rates are already high at around 30%; there is little scope for further expansion. An alternative strategy is needed and increasing generics consumption is an obvious

option.

Total annual pharmaceutical spend is $93 billion.

Government is central, accounting for around 40% of health spending via the national insurance scheme. It now reviews prices annually for all therapies and quarterly for the newest and most expensive⁴. Industry commentators speculate that this could see revenues fall some 30% by 2025. Recent cuts to Opdivo from Ono Pharmaceutical and Gilead’s Sovaldi, along with a voluntary reduction in Merck’s cancer therapy, Keytruda, are just a few of recent examples of the impact of

these changes.

As pharma firms, large and small, begin to reposition themselves in response they will face key challenges. In particular, branded products have seen a gradual reduction in use; they are less resilient to brand erosion and government is targeting 80% generic penetration by 2020. The Japanese government has gone as far as to identify growth of the nation’s generic drug market as “imperative to Japan’s long-term economic health”.

Japan has long been a bastion of patented drug consumption, with a strong innovative pharma industry, but as an impending patent cliff has loomed, many companies are now forced to reconsider their long- and medium- term strategies.