Christopher Eve, Managing Director of UBM Japan Co Ltd , organiser of CPhI Japan in an e-mail interview with AD Pradeep Kumar talks about the CPhI Japan, its background and future prospects.


Please brief us on the background of CPhI Japan
CPhI Japan was first held in 2002. Although a significant number of Japanese companies exhibit and visit the CPhI Worldwide show each year, we were receiving a clear signal from both the international and the Japanese pharmaceutical community that there was a need to hold a CPhI event in Japan, the world’s second largest pharmaceutical market.

What is the thrust of CPhI Japan event of this year and what is new this year?
Japan’s pharmaceutical market is currently in an environment of profound change. The revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Law which recently came into effect has substantially changed the way in which pharmaceutical manufacturers can conduct their business, opening up the door to contract manufacture and outsource R&D. At the same time, government pressure to reduce national medical expenditure through lowering drug prices and encouraging the use of generic medicines has squeezed profits and forced Japanese drug manufacturers to re-think their sourcing strategy for APIs and ingredients. Meanwhile the entry of foreign players into the market coupled with merger and acquisition activity between foreign and domestic companies as well as between domestic companies themselves is spurring a significant reshaping of the industry. All these factors mean that the role of CPhI Japan as a forum for exchange of information and a platform for business is more vital than ever before.

This year the topic on everyone’s lips will be bio-pharma. CPhI Japan is stimulating the development of new bio-based technology and product development though the introduction of  the bio-pharma pavilion on the show floor and the addition of several conference and seminar sessions focused on this topic.
 
What is the expected participation in the event?
We are anticipating strong attendance again at this year’s show. The number of visitors to last year’s show was almost 14,000 and pre-registration figures for this year’s show are higher than same time last year.
 
Please brief us on the visitors profile and how it would be beneficial for them?
Pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmaceutical contract manufacturers accounted for over a quarter of the visitors to the show last year. Buyers from trading companies and fine chemical, intermediates and API manufacturers accounted for another large proportion of attendees. Visiting CPhI Japan will allow you to find out what is going on in the Japanese pharmaceutical industry and assess the trends that will shape future developments.

A key feature of CPhI Japan is the extensive conference, seminar and workshop program, many of which are free of charge to attend. One particular session that visitors should not miss is a workshop aimed at making the rules of the revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Law easier to understand by foreign companies. Panelists will include experts from the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), the Japan Generic Medicines Association and the Japan Pharmaceutical Traders Association.
  
Please give details on the earlier CPhI Japan events
CPhI Japan has been held annually in Tokyo since 2002 and this year’s event will be the largest ever. Over the years the event has extended in scope to include the  contract services exhibition ICSC Japan and the pharmaceuticals machinery and equipment convention P-MEC Japan.  Meanwhile, the conference element of the event has expanded significantly and now encompasses over 120 conference, seminar and workshop sessions making it is one of the largest annual business and academic gatherings for the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.

How do you see the future of the future CPhI Japan events?
As mentioned above, Japan’s pharmaceutical Industry is going through a period of profound changes. Long held buyer-supplier relationships are being torn apart because of the pressures that I have outlined. It is no longer the case that Japan is a ‘closed market’ that is difficult for foreign companies to penetrate. These days quite the opposite is true, as can be seen from the exhibit floor of CPhI were over half of the exhibiting companies are from overseas.

The Japanese pharmaceutical market is well and truly open and there are substantial business opportunities in Japan for international companies offering innovative and competitive products. CPhI Japan and the concurrent events of ICSE (contract services) and P-MEC (pharmaceutical equipment and machinery) have together become the leading annual gathering place for Japan’s pharma industry and we look forward to these events continuing to play a key role in its development and internationalization.  

Please give a brief on the activities of UBM Japan Co Ltd
UBM Japan is one of the leading organizers of international B2B exhibitions and trade shows in Japan. We organize over 12 events each year including the Tokyo Health Industry Show and the Health Ingredients Japan exhibitions.