TOKYO (JAPAN) – European Union curbs on exports of novel coronavirus vaccines might lead to a delay in Japan’s inoculation drive, the minister in charge of the campaign said on Tuesday, while the government is likely to extend a state of emergency in an attempt to rein in the epidemic.
Japan is ready to begin its vaccination campaign this month, later than most major economies, and any delay could lead to uncertainty about a government aim to get its hands on enough doses for everyone before the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
Taro Kono, the minister in charge of the vaccine effort, told reporters, “The EU has enacted this export transparency mechanism, and it is affecting Japan’s supply schedule,”
Kono did no divulge about how long could the possible delay be.
Japan is dependent on foreign vaccine manufacturers and Kono has given warning last week that growing nationalism over the shots could result in retaliation and global supplies being disrupted.
Japan has attained rights to more than 500 million vaccine doses from several Western developers, which was sufficient for its 126 million population.
But the dependence on overseas makers and a requirement that the vaccines go through domestic trials have delayed its campaign.
State broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday that approval for the Pfizer Inc vaccine could come into effect on February 12.
Japan has reported a total of 391,618 coronavirus infections, including 5,832 deaths.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his government are determined to host the Games.
“We’ll respond with a sense of urgency based on the medical situation and virus spread,” Katsunobu Kato, chief cabinet secretary, told reporters.
Kato said, adding that hospitals remained full and the death rate had not fallen, “The number of new coronavirus cases is falling, but caution is still needed,”
Suga is due to make a decision on any emergency extension after a meeting of an expert panel later in the day.
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told a meeting that the government was planning to extend the emergency in 10 of the 11 prefectures, until March 7, because while the number of cases was coming down, the medical system remained under pressure.