TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp (T:4901) said on Thursday it will buy Takeda Pharmaceutical's (T:4502) 71 percent stake in Wako Pure Chemical Industries for 154.7 billion yen (1.05 billion pounds) in a bid to expand its healthcare business
Fujifilm will buy the stake through a tender offer bid beginning on Feb. 27 through to April 3, after which it will add Wako to its business as a consolidated subsidiary, the company said in a release through the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Fujifilm views healthcare in Japan and other industrialized nations as a growth market as populations age and demand for medical services and products grow.
"The acquisition of Wako will be a key milestone for Fujifilm's future business growth," the company said in its statement.
Fujifilm already owns a 9.7 percent stake in Wako, which supplies it with photosensitive films. The company said that the acquisition will not impact its financial results for the year ended March 31.
Takeda in a separate statement said it expects to post a one-time pre-tax gain of about 100 billion yen from the sale, to be booked in the first quarter of the business year starting April 1.
