Japan - Which companies have recently announced plans to enter the Japanese generic drug market?

In the first quarter of 2010, both Pfizer and Fujifilm unveiled plans to produce generic drugs.

In February 2010, Pfizer announced that it aims to be the leading manufacturer of generic drugs in Japan, which it plans to enter in 2010. Pfizer unveiled its Japanese generic drug business plan in December 2009 as part of its global move to offset risks on patent drugs. Fujifilm also plans to enter the Japanese generic drug market in 2010 and expects to sell products by spring. The government is currently providing incentives to manufacturers and pharmacists to promote generic drugs in an attempt to reduce the amount spent on branded drugs, and it wants the generic drugs to represent nearly one-third of the pharmaceutical market by 2013.

Further reading - A detailed review of the Japanese pharmaceutical market is available from Espicom: The Pharmaceutical Market: Japan (published May 2010)