The Japanese pharma industry, the second largest in the world, is in a transition period. With the Japanese government taking a very keen interest in improving its regulatory review performance and clinical trial infrastructure, of late there has been a sea change in the country's pharmaceutical industry. Besides, steps have been taken to reduce the delay in introducing new drug products in the country, largely to phase out the so-called 'drug lag' in the city of rising sun. As a result, global companies are trying to get as many products as possible into this market as quickly as possible. All these are expected to turn the Japanese pharma market as one of the hottest pharma destinations in Asia.

Also, increasing competition, patent expiration of blockbuster drugs and new technologies are expected to drive the Japanese pharma companies to develop an increasing number of compounds in the near future. The country is also emerging as an outsourcing partner of choice by offering monitoring, biostatistics, data management, protocol development, common technical document development and filing preparations on a global scale. Moreover, the generics market in Japan is relatively underdeveloped and hence offers some significant opportunities for foreign generics manufacturers to make profits.

While Japanese pharma industry is making waves across the globe with its strive to make a mark both within the global and domestic fronts, United Business Media/CMP, a leading organiser of trade shows and professional conferences in Europe, US and Asia, has set up a platform - CPhI Japan 2008 - to bring pharma and its allied players together into this city of rising sun to explore the pharma market, strike business deals and share and discuss innovative business models to achieve further growth.

Regarded as one the biggest pharma ingredients shows in the Asian region, this year CPhI Japan would be held at Tokyo Big Sight Exhibition Centre from April 9 to 11, 2008. The event is expected to act as the best business meeting place for outsourcing companies to present their technique, services and products into the vast Japanese pharmaceutical market.

This year, CPhI Japan is expected to attract tens of thousands of conference attendees, exhibitors and visitors from pharma and allied companies from around the world. "The event would provide the participating companies a golden opportunity to introduce themselves to the evolving Japanese market, launch new products in the region and make new contacts and expand their network in the Japanese market," said the organisers.

Since its inception, CPhI Japan has over the years emerged as a not-to-miss event for pharma and its related players across the world. To its credit, in 2007, the event attracted more than 450 exhibiting companies and over 12,000 visitors. "It's the combination of high quality organisation and a high quality targeted audience that makes CPhI so appealing to companies to participate in this high profile event," noted the organisers.

To add to the attraction of the event, Pharmaceutical Machinery and Equipment Convention (P-MEC) and International Contract Services Expo (ICSE) Japan would be held concurrently with this year's CPhI Japan. These two events are expected to boost the participation at CPhI Japan 2008.

While P-MEC, an exhibition of machine and equipment for pharmaceutical studies, development and manufacturing, would help the event participants have a look at the latest innovations, ICSE-Japan would provide a unique opportunity to participants to present new products, outsourcing solutions or R&D development to the Japanese pharmaceutical audience.