A Daily Publication of the Asia Pacific Media Network. The Japanese government is formulating a nationwide biotechnology strategy.
Japan is still the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world after the United States.
It is wealthier than such emerging markets as Taiwan and Korea. Another factor favorable to the development of biotechnology is the aging of the Japanese population. Male life expectancy in Japan is 77 years and 84 years for females. The proportion of people aged 65 or above is expected to increase to 26 percent of the population by the year 2025. This aging population is demanding more healthcare services now and it will continue to need even more services in the years to come.