Japanese Drugmakers Slump after Trump Unveils Discount Drug Website

Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event to unveil the TrumpRx drug discount site, in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 5, 2026.

TOKYO, Feb 6 (Reuters) – Shares of Japanese pharmaceutical companies slumped in early Tokyo trading on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump’s website offering discounted prescription medicines went live.

Sumitomo Pharma 4506.T sank 4.5%, while Roche affiliate Chugai Pharmaceutical 4519.T lost 3.1%. Takeda Pharmaceutical 4502.T, Japan’s largest drugmaker, declined 1.5%.

Trump on Thursday unveiled TrumpRx.gov following deals struck with 16 of the largest global drugmakers for “most-favored nation” prices for Americans in exchange for exemptions from U.S. tariffs.

The drugmaker sector .IPHAM.T lost 1.6% to become the second-worst performer among the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s 33 industry sub-indexes.