Japan avoids workplace vaccination being concentrated in big cities

This was disclosed by regulatory reform minister Taro Kono who also is overseeing the rollout of this vaccination programme. He was responding to questions pertaining to how the government plans to implement the inoculation at workplaces and universities. 

Kono was visiting a vaccination centre in Chigasaki, Kanagawa prefecture when he made the comment. Workplace vaccinations are presently concentrated in urban areas such as the Tokyo metropolitan area, the Kansai area, the central prefecture of Aichi and the southwestern prefecture of Fukuoka. 

“We’ll examine the applications we have received so far and do our best for early start of vaccinations,” Kono said, promising to check the regional distribution of vaccines offered by municipalities or at workplaces. 

Due to the overwhelming response for workplace vaccination, the government has temporarily stopped accepting new applications. This is due to the shortage of the Moderna vaccine used for this programme, according to Bloomberg. 

READ: Most Japan companies to conduct workplace COVID-19 vaccinations

Japan started its workplace vaccination programme from June 21 and big companies like Toyota Motor, Softbank Group, Nomura Holdings and Rakuten Group have applied to be part of this scheme.