Takeda gets Japanese approval for $62 billion Shire purchase

(Reuters) - Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd <4502.T> said on Thursday Japan's Fair Trade Commission had approved its $62 billion acquisition of Shire Plc , bringing the Japanese firm closer to sealing a deal that will make it a global top 10 drugmaker. The deal, which will be the largest overseas purchase by a Japanese company, has already received unconditional clearance from regulators in the United States, Brazil and China. "Takeda is proud of its Japanese heritage, and we are looking forward to building on this heritage as a combined company to continue delivering highly-innovative medicines that are transformative to patients in Japan and around the world,” Takeda CEO Christophe Weber said in a statement. Takeda is also waiting for a nod from EU antitrust regulators. They are expected to make a decision by Nov. 6 but can open a four-month long investigation if they have serious concerns. (Reporting by Takashi Umekawa in Tokyo and Shashwat Awasthi in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair)