Slide show of Takeda's history

THE HISTORY OF TAKEDA: REFLECTING ON OUR 235-YEAR LEGACY

This June, we celebrate the 235th anniversary of Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Join us as we look back on several defining moments throughout our history.

THE HISTORY OF TAKEDA

In 1781, Chobei I Takeda founded a business selling Chinese and Japanese medicines that would later become Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Early on, the Takeda seal became a mark of quality and trust amongst merchants of the time.

Our history is so extensive it often predates some of the most important moments in world history. While Napoleon was being crowned Emperor of France in 1804, Chobei II was increasing the scale of Takeda business.

The Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century transformed Takeda’s business and allowed for the import and sale of Western medicine in Kobe under Chobei IV.

In the spirit of consistently delivering the highest-quality products, Takeda established its own testing lab in 1907. Later in 1915, Takeda started its research division in its testing lab, which became the foundation of our modern-day research organization.

On September 1, 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake struck Japan creating devastation and massive supply shortages throughout the country. Immediately after the quake, Takeda turned its factory into a relief site to help those in need.

In 1925, Chobei V not only incorporated the various divisions of Takeda into a single corporation, but also grew the business to include in-house R&D, manufacturing, testing, and marketing.

The Nori Principle was introduced by Chobei V in 1940, which instructed employees to act in all situations with integrity, fairness, and honesty.

As Takeda entered the 21st century, we redefined our values based upon the Nori Principle and developed Takeda-ism: the pledge to act upon our core values at all times, especially when facing difficulties or challenges.

More than 235 years later, Takeda is a global, R&D-driven pharmaceutical company with a presence in more than 70 countries. Our priorities remain the same: patient, trust, reputation and business, with integrity at the heart of everything we do.