TOKYO (Reuters) -Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis says it is watching "very carefully" how the reciprocal tariff policy proposed by the United States would unfold in early April, Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan said in Tokyo.U.S. President Donald Trump last month flagged potential import duties of about 25% on pharmaceuticals as part of measures affecting other industries, including semiconductors and automobiles, as he seeks to reshape global trade.

Novartis plans to start mass production of radiopharmaceuticals, a type of precision cancer treatment, in Japan in 2026, the Nikkei newspaper reported earlier this month.

Last year, Novartis agreed to buy U.S.-based Mariana Oncology for $1 billion upfront to expand its portfolio of the drugs, which currently include prostate cancer treatment Pluvicto and Lutathera used for a rare group of gastrointestinal tumours.