Japan Begins COVID-19 Vaccinations 5 Months Before Tokyo Olympics... First Recipient is Director of Tokyo Medical Center

Priority Vaccination for Medical Staff Implemented, Safety Data Secured
Vaccination Completion Expected to Take 1 Year... Free Vaccination Until February Next Year

On the 17th, as COVID-19 vaccinations began in Japan, Kazuhiro Araki, director of the Tokyo Medical Center and the first vaccination recipient in Japan (left), is receiving the vaccine injection.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Japanese government has finally started COVID-19 vaccinations five months ahead of the Tokyo Olympics schedule. The first recipient was selected as the director of the National Tokyo Medical Center, and priority vaccinations are being administered to medical staff to secure safety data of the vaccine. The Japanese medical community expects that nationwide vaccination will take about one year.

According to local Japanese media such as Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the Japanese government began COVID-19 vaccinations on the 17th. The vaccine used is developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, and the first recipient was Kazuhiro Araki, director of the Tokyo Medical Center. Along with him, 12 medical staff including doctors and nurses at the Tokyo Medical Center were vaccinated.

After the initial vaccinations, about 3.7 million healthcare workers classified as the first vaccination target will begin receiving vaccinations from mid-next month. Then, vaccinations will be administered from April to about 36 million elderly people aged 65 and over. Subsequently, sequential vaccinations will be carried out for about 8.2 million people with underlying conditions, about 2 million workers at elderly care facilities, and about 7.5 million people aged 60 to 65.

The Japanese government expects that the start of vaccinations will have a positive impact on creating an atmosphere for hosting the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, which were postponed to July this year due to the COVID-19 situation. Administrative Reform Minister Taro Kono, in charge of vaccinations, said, "Assuming no major problems in securing vaccines, it will take about one year to complete vaccinations for all citizens aged 16 and over." The goal is to have about half of the population vaccinated before the Tokyo Olympics, which is at least five months away.

However, some point out that the European Union (EU), where Pfizer’s vaccine factories are located, is strengthening export controls within the region, which may cause disruptions in the supply process. Additionally, the distribution of special syringes that enable six doses per vial is expected to be difficult, making it uncertain whether the Japanese government’s plan for smooth vaccination will be feasible.

The Japanese government has previously contracted with Pfizer to receive 144 million doses of the vaccine, assuming six doses per vial. They have also secured 60 million doses from the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and 20 million doses from the American company Moderna, which exceeds the total population of 127 million, ensuring an ample supply of vaccines for now.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.