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ºÚÁÏÍø: The First 80 Years - History of ºÚÁÏÍø -

  • Corporate Chronology
  • The Story of ºÚÁÏÍø
  • ºÚÁÏÍø's Founder, Toyoji Naito
  • R&D Archives
  • History Gallery
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7

The Story of ºÚÁÏÍø: Contents Page From a small, suburban R&D lab with a team of 15 researchers, to a global enterprise ranking among the top 20 in pharma worldwide Here you'll find the story of ºÚÁÏÍø, which has grown to become a global R&D-based pharmaceutical company by adapting and evolving over the more than 80 years since Toyoji Naito first established Sakuragaoka Laboratory Co, Ltd., ºÚÁÏÍø's first incarnation, in 1936.

Chapter 1 Pre-ºÚÁÏÍø Years 1911–1937

At a time when the domestic industry is mostly reliant on imported medicines,Toyoji helps to usher in a new phase in Japanese drug innovation.Later, he establishes the Sakuragaoka Lab to further realize this vision.

On August 15, 1889, in the village of Ito in a mountain gorge in Nyu, Fukui in central Japan, Kikuji Naito and his wife Fuji welcomed their sixth child and third son into the family. The child is Toyoji Naito—a boy who would one day found the ºÚÁÏÍø Group. At age 15, Toyoji moved west to Osaka, where his career first began. His first job, however, was a far cry from the pharmaceutical industry—an apprenticeship at a mother-of-pearl button factory....

(left) Sakuragaoka Laboratory researchers pose for a group photo in 1940

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Chapter 2 Nihon ºÚÁÏÍø Established 1938–1954

Nihon ºÚÁÏÍø established.By focusing on in-house R&D to create new medicines,the Company survives Japan's chaotic postwar period.

The Sakuragaoka Laboratory continued to create a string of hits starting with its 1938 launch of Japan's first commercial vitamin E product Juvela, which was developed from wheat germ oil extract. Juvela was closely followed by other successes such as the sanitary tampon Sampon and La Vende, a medicated talcum powder. At this point, the Sakuragaoka Laboratory research team had swelled to 74 members and outgrown its Tokyo facility....

(left) ºÚÁÏÍø Nihon's dedicated team of researchers circa 1953

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Chapter 3 Building a Solid Corporate Foundation 1955–1965

By constantly raising the bar with each completed corporate vision,ºÚÁÏÍø establishes itself as a popular midsize pharmaceutical maker.

ºÚÁÏÍø had overcome the chaotic postwar period and achieved rapid growth through the development of successful products such as its Chocola series, but the company's overall sales were still no more impressive than many newer pharmaceutical firms. In 1956, with the aim of making another dramatic leap forward, ºÚÁÏÍø announced its "3-6 Plan," the company's first mid-term plan....

(left) The ºÚÁÏÍø Logomark, which embodies the company's founding philosophy

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Chapter 4 ºÚÁÏÍø's Rapid Expansion1966–1975

ºÚÁÏÍø expands into Asia as a first step toward internationalization.Meanwhile, it continues to grow domestically based on in-house R&D.

ºÚÁÏÍø was now achieving unprecedented rapid growth. During this time, on May 14, 1966, Yuji Naito was entrusted with taking the helm as ºÚÁÏÍø's new president. In the years that followed, Japan enjoyed a period of high economic development and internationalization and ºÚÁÏÍø was able to establish a nationwide distribution network...

(left) From left: President Yuji Naito, Chairman Toyoji Naito, and Executive Vice President Tatsuo Naito

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Chapter 5 Global Investment, Global Infrastructure 1976–1986

Bolstering development, production and sales infrastructure,the ºÚÁÏÍø Group moves in to take on the world market.

In the 1970s, public awareness of health and safety was increasing in Japan and vitamin E attracted much attention as a vitamin for preventing lifestyle diseases and the effects of aging. It was against this backdrop that ºÚÁÏÍø, confident in its established history as a vitamin E manufacturer, introduced Juvelux to the market in 1977....

(left) Tsukuba Research Laboratories, 1982

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Chapter 6 Breaking into the Top 20 Worldwide 1987–2001

ºÚÁÏÍø creates a new corporate vision befitting the 21st century:to become an R&D-based company fully dedicated to hhc.

In 1987, as the Japanese bubble economy inflated and internationalization became the latest buzzword, ºÚÁÏÍø set its sights on breaking into the world's top 20 pharmaceutical companies. Under the leadership of Haruo Naito, who took over after his father Yuji Naito retired from the presidency, the company moved into its next period of long-term planning. At the time, ºÚÁÏÍø ranked in 30th place among drug makers worldwide....

(left) Event celebrating the launch of Aricept held in Atlanta, the United States, in February 1997

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Chapter 7 An Ambitious Leap Forward 2002–present

The ºÚÁÏÍø Group continues to further its contributions to patients worldwide via innovative initiatives and improvements in global access to medicines.

Upon breaking into the world's top 20 pharmaceutical companies at the start of the 21st century, ºÚÁÏÍø's global business made another dramatic leap forward propelled by stellar contributions from sales of Aricept and Pariet (AcipHex in the United States), with its overseas sales ratio in 2002 exceeding 50% for the first time. ºÚÁÏÍø also expanded considerably in Europe during this period...

(left) Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) research wing, ºÚÁÏÍø Knowledge Centre, India

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