COMMENTARY

20 Years at a Glance: Overseas Sales Surge at Japan Pharma, but R&D Investments Lag

By Hayate Horiguchi June 9, 2026
Japan’s pharmaceutical industry has become a global business over the past two decades. Overseas markets now make up nearly three-quarters of sales at major Japanese drug makers, compared with just one-third in the mid-2000s, underscoring a dramatic shift away from…

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