History

Our Legacy in the U.S.

The thousands of cherry trees that line the tidal basin in West Potomac Park aren't a natural phenomenon. They represent a cross-cultural partnership between the United States and Japan that was forged 100 years ago.

In 1912, world-famous chemist and our company's first president Dr. Jokichi Takamine, orchestrated the gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, D.C. as a symbol of harmony between our two nations. And while this historic gift was launched with a simple ceremony on March 27 a century ago, with First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, how and why the trees came to the U.S. is more intricate.

Daiichi Sankyo's connection to these trees and the collaborative role our first president played continues to inspire our company today. Not only is the gift of trees an important symbol of our philanthropic mission and our corporate culture of global collaboration, it is also an important part of our history and part of Dr. Takamine's legacy. Our partnerships have produced a pipeline of innovative medicines that will help people for years to come.

Daiichi Sankyo continues to build on Dr. Takamine's legacy by contributing to the communities where we live and work. We honor Dr. Takamine's legacy today through philanthropic and volunteer efforts that include support for science, education and access to medical care across the globe.

For more about our global history, visit: 
https://www.daiichisankyo.com/about_us/mission-strength/history/