CPhI Japan Postponed Amid Novel Coronavirus Outbreak

CPhI Japan, organized by Informa Markets, announced on Feb. 26, 2020 that the CPhI event, which was originally scheduled for March 16–18, 2020 at the Big Sight Exhibition Center in Tokyo, Japan, will be postponed for a new date later in the year. The decision was made after it was determined that many of the event’s largest stakeholders would be unable to travel to the conference due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, an Informa press release said.

“The event is now in its 18th edition and we have always listened to the feedback of our exhibitors and attendees. Due to unforeseen circumstances of COVID-19, many felt that it will be difficult to travel to the exhibition at this time. We will work with our attendees and exhibitors so that we can deliver another successful event for everyone involved. We wanted to communicate this as fast as possible, and we will confirm the new dates imminently. I thank our partners for their continued support and understanding, and we express our solidarity with those affected around the world,” said Christopher Eve, managing director, Informa Markets and UBM Japan, in the press release.

As of Feb. 26, 2020, no new date for the exhibition has been announced.

The announcement comes only days after Informa revealed CPhI South East Asia, which was scheduled for March 4–6, 2020, would be rescheduled for July 1–3, 2020 at the IMPACT Center in Bangkok, Thailand, because of concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

“CPhI South East Asia is a tremendous event for both Thailand and the Southeast Asian region as a whole, but the safety of our attendees, exhibitors, and staff is integral to everything that we do. Following an extensive consultation, and in line with the recommended safety measures, we are taking extra precautions and will now host the event in July,” said Silvia Forroova, brand director at Informa Markets, in a Feb. 17, 2020 press release.

Sources: CPhI Japan, CPhI South East Asia