Japan pharma companies turn to China for drug discovery, growth

Takeda CEO says Chinese development capabilities nearing US levels

An Astellas office in Beijing. The Japanese company is opening a new R&D facility in a Beijing industrial park. (Astellas Pharma)

TOKYO -- Japanese pharmaceutical companies are investing more in China, the world's second-largest market, aiming to tap the rapidly improving drug discovery capabilities of Chinese partners to find promising new candidates.