Novo Industri Japan was established at Kanda, Tokyo, on 16 August 1977 under the joint ownership of Novo Industri A/S, Denmark (90%) and Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Japan (10%) with capital of JPY 50 million.
The Marketing Department was added in 1980, and the R&D Division was established in 1982. The Technical and Marketing Departments merged and the name was changed to Application Technology Division in 1987.
In 1990, the company name was changed to Novo Nordisk Bioindustry Ltd., and the new office and laboratory moved to Makuhari in Chiba Prefecture.
In 2000, the company name was again changed to Novozymes Japan Ltd. (NZJP) when Novozymes A/S, Denmark and its group companies demerged from Novo Nordisk. In 2001, the share capital of NZJP was increased to JPY 300 million (with Novozymes A/S, Denmark owning 60% and Mitsui 40%) and the office space was expanded.