Rohto Pharmaceutical


Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational corporation specializing in fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceuticals, headquartered in Ikuno-ku, Osaka, Japan. The company primary focuses on skin and eye care products. They also produce cosmetics, supplements, and over-the-counter medications.

International presence

In 1975, Rohto gained trademark rights to Mentholatum from The Mentholatum Company Inc., allowing the sale of Mentholatum-branded products. Rohto acquired The Mentholatum Company Inc. in June 1988.
Rohto has two production plants in Japan and six across the US, UK, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Rohto entered the Vietnamese market in 1997 expanding sales to the Asia Pacific region. In mid-2010, Rohto entered the Indian and Bangladeshi markets.
In 2024, Rohto Pharmaceutical entered into a partnership with the Austrian Sigmapharm Group. This partnership aimed at expanding the production and sale of ophthalmic drugs and medical products across Europe, with Rohto Pharmaceutical investing nearly €30 million in research, development, production, and sales.

History

Yasutami Yamada founded "" in Osaka, on February 22, 1899. ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co. is the largest company in Japan's OTC drugs market, commanding a 40% share in the eye-drop sector. The name "Rohto" was inspired by August von Rothmund, a German ophthalmologist who was a professor for Toyotaro Inoue, a Japanese ophthalmologist.