Although Japan still lags considerably behind the United States and much of Europe in the development of its biotechnology sector, it is making considerable efforts to grow this sector as a major new industry. The Japanese government budget for biotechnology and life science-related projects is expected to grow steadily despite Japan's continued sluggish economy. In recent years, the Japanese biotech industry has experienced substantial growth, with the number of Japanese biotech ventures increasing from 387 in 2003 to 586 in 2006. Increased cooperation between the Japanese public and private sectors and academic institutions has lead to the development of a vibrant industry, which is able to record more and more successful outcomes from its research efforts. The market size of the Japanese biotechnology industry in 2007 was $19.5 billion, a 10.9 percent growth rate over the previous year. Imports account for about one-third of all sales in the biotech-derived drug and medical device sector.

USEFUL LINKS

• Japan Bioindustry Association (JBA): http://www.jba.or.jp/english/index.html
• Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI):http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/
• Kinki Bio-Industry Development Organization: http://www.kinkibio.com/english/01.html

CS JAPAN CONTACTS

Unit Chief: Helen Peterson
Commercial Specialist for for Biotechnology: Tamami Honda