Ted Tetsudo Tanaka is a Japanese-American native of Los Angeles, with parents from Japan, and one of the most proven international business consultant in arranging healthcare JAPAN/ASIA STRATEGIC ALLIANCES.

His focus is:
  • Licensing, joint ventures and distribution
  • Collaboration in new business development
  • Japan, China, and Korea


Mr. Tanaka has successfully arranged to-date 20 Japan/Asia alliances for his American, Canadian and UK clients. Mr. Tanaka directly performs all aspects of his engagements to maintain quality service, understanding of his clients and efficiency. He is retained to:

  • confirm his clients' product market potential;
  • develop a realistic partnering strategy;
  • identify qualified partner candidates;
  • communicate with Japan/Asia;
  • accompany clients to Japan/Asia and coach them in Japan/Asia protocol;
  • advise in developing specific terms and conditions;
  • serve as an experienced advisor and intermediary at negotiation impasses; and
  • be an overall catalyst in consummating alliance agreements.

Over the past 20 years and over 160 trips to Japan, China, Korea, he has earned the respect and direct access to each country's: largest healthcare companies; regulatory agencies; Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan, China, Korea; Japan's Pharmaceutical Industry Forum (non-traditional drug makers from beverage, chemical, textile, food, tobacco, etc.); national medical universities; and, national trade media.

A sample of his recent achievements include:

  • Worldwide license and R&D funding of client Scios’ Fibroblast Growth Factors by Kaken Pharmaceutical and Alzheimer’s drug research program by Daiichi Pharmaceutical.
  • Client Johnson & Johnson’s entire over-the-counter pharmaceuticals (Tylenol, etc.) development and distribution in Japan jointly with Japan’s top drug company, Takeda Pharmaceutical. Pharma Japan article
  • Korean license of a G.I. ethical drug of client Salix Pharmaceuticals (USA) to Chong Kun Dang, a top 10 Korean pharmaceutical company. press release (PDF)
  • Sale of all Focus Surgery (laser) assets to a major Japanese hospital supply company.
  • Yoshitomi Pharmaceutical (merged into Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma) first overseas research institute for neurological drug discovery at client Scotland's Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities. Nikkan Yakugyo article
  • A GlaxoSmithKline–Incyte Genomics joint venture client named diaDexus, with one of the world's leading library of proprietary cancer biomarkers, partnered with one of Japan's top domestic diagnostics companies, Fujirebio. press release (PDF)

Speaking from his experiences organizing over 2,500 client business development meetings in Japan/Asia, Mr. Tanaka is a popular speaker at: Pharmtech China 2007, a leading China new business development conference in Beijing; Massachusetts Biotech Council; BIO (Washington D.C.) and LES; Scottish Biomedical Association; Toronto Biotechnology Initiative; and at other international symposiums. He is an active supporter of BIO since its inception in 1993.

He was exclusive Consultant retained to organize and chair BIO's first ever overseas partnering conference in 1994 in Tokyo. And, retained again by BIO for its first annual BIO–Asia Partnering Conference in 2004 in Tokyo.

China Pharmaceutical Technology Transfer Center (CPTTC) of Beijing invited Mr. Tanaka as the only guest international speaker at its 10th annual Pharmtech China conference in November 2007. This is China's leading new pharmaceuticals business development annual meeting with over 3,000 attendees. CPTTC is a direct agency under the State FDA and Ministry of Science & Technology.

Prior to founding Tanaka International in 1980, he was with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) for 11 years serving Japanese and American clients to overhaul their internal management information systems and perform confidential aquisition evaluations. He is an Andersen Consulting professionally trained, career international management consultant and a Business Administration graduate with post-graduate studies at U.C.L.A.