(The following was released by the rating agency)

TOKYO (Standard & Poor's) July 10, 2012--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that it had assigned its 'AA-' debt rating to Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.'s (AA-/Stable/A-1+) U.S. dollar-denominated unsecured straight bonds (see list below). The prescription drugmaker plans to use funds from the issuance to repay some of the short-term loan debt it raised to acquire branded generic drugmaker Nycomed A/S (not rated) on Sept. 30, 2011.