BUSINESS

Chiba Downpours Cause No Major Disruption to Drug Operations

August 17, 2026

Pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers in Chiba Prefecture reported no major damages to their operations as of the afternoon of August 14 following torrential rains that caused widespread flooding in parts of the prefecture.

PDRadiopharma said its Chiba plant was able to continue manufacturing without problems. The facility suffered a power outage during a typhoon in September 2019, when it was owned by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, disrupting supplies of some products.

No major problems had emerged in pharmaceutical distribution either as of August 14, helped in part by wholesalers making advance deliveries to customers ahead of the Obon holiday period (generally August 13-16).

Local wholesaler Iwabuchi Pharmaceutical reported no significant damages at its headquarters or other locations in the prefecture. Big 4 wholesalers Alfresa Holdings, Medipal Holdings, Suzuken, and Toho Holdings likewise reported no damages at their Chiba operations serious enough to significantly affect business.

However, flooding and traffic restrictions caused some delivery delays at Suzuken. One dispensing pharmacy operated by the Toho Holdings group was also forced to close on August 14 after flooding above floor level.

Jiho was unable to reach representatives at several other pharmaceutical-related companies as of August 14.

BUSINESS

By Shunsuke Tani

Tariffs have been a defining feature of US trade policy under President Donald Trump’s second administration. Since Trump unveiled his “reciprocal” tariff policy in April 2025, the landscape has shifted repeatedly.In February 2026, the US Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed…

By Kohei Hori

As Japan’s budget season draws near, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has renewed its push for a full-scale “off-year” drug…

By Ken Yoshino

Japan is pressing ahead with broader drug price cuts under its cost-effectiveness assessment (CEA) system, despite lingering questions over the…

By Kohei Hori

Members of a key reimbursement policy panel on October 28 raised no objections to expanding drug makers’ access to deliberations…

By Takashi Ebisawa

Eli Lilly’s breast cancer drug Imulrio (imlunestrant) is finally joining Japan’s NHI price list on October 14, nearly 300 days…

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) on March 5 unveiled the revised NHI prices for drugs subject to…

Japan’s Central Social Insurance Medical Council (Chuikyo) on November 5 approved the reimbursement listing for a slate of new medicines,…

The Japanese government approved a bill to amend the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (PMD) Act at its Cabinet meeting on…

Japan’s health ministry doled out regulatory approvals for a throng of new medicines on December 27 including Eli Lilly’s obesity…

Japan’s all-important reimbursement policy panel on December 20 approved an outline of drug pricing reforms for FY2024, which enshrines a…