April 9-11, Tokyo Big Sight

The 22nd edition of CPHI Japan, a trade fair focused on pharmaceutical raw materials, will commence on April 9th at the Tokyo Big Sight Exhibition Center in Tokyo.

CPHI Japan unites industry leaders, pharmaceutical experts, and companies of all sizes for three days of top-tier networking and collaboration under one roof. This essential event provides the chance to uncover emerging trends in the pharmaceutical industry, investigate innovative solutions and products, and secure a competitive advantage to expand your business.

For a duration of three days, more than 730 companies—a record-breaking figure—from 60 countries will present their technologies to examine the trends in a market that stands as the fourth global hub for the industry, following the USA, Western Europe, and China.

More than 26,000 attendees are anticipated, consisting solely of professional business operators, such as purchasing managers and laboratory heads from leading chemical companies across the Asian region. In addition to the exhibition, the event features intriguing seminars/conferences that concentrate on innovations and advancements in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry, delivered by specialized speakers from both local and international backgrounds.

Historically, Italy has been the world’s most significant supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The factors behind this “leadership” stem from the nation’s deeply rooted chemical culture, which features several internationally-focused pharmaceutical companies, state-of-the-art chemical equipment manufacturers, and high-quality university education. A sign of this global recognition is the export data, which represents roughly 85 percent of the sector’s company revenue to nearly 90 countries.

This outcome is attributed to the staff’s high level of professionalism, the advancement of innovative technological solutions, and the quality and reliability of the products. These success factors allow companies to attain and sustain a prestigious standing on the international platform, even in highly stringent and regulated markets such as the American one, governed by the stringent rules of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as in the European and Japanese markets.

Italian organic chemical and pharmaceutical products rank among the top ten import categories from Italy to Japan, making them one of the primary categories of Japanese imports from Italy.

In 2024, our pharmaceutical products held the 10th spot, achieving a value of 125 billion Yen, equivalent to roughly 764 million euros), marking a 28.3 percent increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, organic chemicals—which include the majority of APIs—secured the 5th position, valued at 131.54 billion Yen.

The Italian chemical-pharmaceutical sector provides a production that, thanks to the nature of its products (featuring advanced technology and research), successfully caters to the demands of the Japanese market.

Focusing specifically on raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry, information from the Japan Pharmaceutical Traders’ Association (API Importers Association) concerning the countries and regions with production facilities indicates that Italy maintains a dominant position in Europe.

Italian companies in the sector are primarily medium-sized. Some are integrated into large multinational pharmaceutical corporations, others are affiliated with mainly national pharmaceutical entities, and some operate independently.

The primary focus of the target sector is pharmaceuticals, which comprises two main segments: the generic drugs sector and “custom manufacturing,” which involves the preparation of intermediates and active ingredients for pharmaceutical companies that hold the patent.

The aim of Italian companies’ participation is to demonstrate the advanced level of production techniques and to enhance the presence of the Italian pharmaceutical industry in the Japanese market.

In this edition of the fair, the Italian Trade Agency will feature a pavilion showcasing 19 companies, among the most prominent in the sector. These companies have been provided with fully equipped standard booths measuring 9 square meters. Furthermore, an ITA information and service point will be set up. The pavilion will cover an area of roughly 200 square meters, divided into two zones.

At the ITA booth, attendees of the fair can obtain information and assistance from ITA personnel and collect a brochure, prepared by the ITA Office in Tokyo in Japanese, which includes the profile of the sector in Italy and a list of Italian companies participating in the fair. Taking part in CPHI Japan 2025 presents a significant opportunity for interaction with the Japanese market within the pharmaceutical industry.

List of Italian companies involved:

Time of entry: From 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, April 9-11, 2025

Significant occurrences:

-Inauguration Event

Time & Date: April 9, 2025, from 09:15 to 09:30 AM

Venue: Keynote Seminar Room (located within East Hall 6), Tokyo Big Sight

8:45 Initial meeting at the Organizers’ office located at the entrance of East Hall 5

-Cocktail Gathering

Time & Date: April 9, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Venue: Keynote Seminar Room (inside East Hall 6), Tokyo Big Sight