Mass inoculation sites in Tokyo, Osaka by end of May

The government plans to use vaccine made by the U.S. biotechnology company Moderna Inc. at mass inoculation sites to be set up in Tokyo and Osaka by the end of May, based on the premise that the production and sale of the Moderna vaccine in Japan will be approved that month.

The vaccine now being used in Japan is made by Pfizer Inc., also of the United States, and the government has made it a rule that people must be vaccinated in the municipality where they live. There are concerns about confusion over the proper handling of the two types of vaccines, if the Moderna vaccine is approved and distributed to municipalities, as they require different storage methods.

For this reason, the government plans to first use the Moderna vaccine at large venues where nonresidents can also be inoculated. By using Pfizer for local vaccinations and Moderna for mass vaccinations, the government aims to ensure that the limited number of doses can be administered efficiently and promptly.

On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga instructed Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi to have medical officers and nurses of the Self-Defense Forces set up and run the vaccination site in Tokyo and provide appropriate support at the Osaka site.

“The Self-Defense Forces are Japan’s last line of defense. I hope they will play a full role, amid this national crisis, in the vital task of dealing with the novel coronavirus,” Suga said.

The Tokyo venue will use a government facility in Otemachi, Chiyoda Ward, and will aim to inoculate about 10,000 people a day. It will operate for about three months, starting on May 24.

Residents of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures are also expected to use the Tokyo facility. About 9 million of the nation’s 36 million elderly people live in Tokyo and the three prefectures. How quickly vaccinations in the Tokyo metropolitan area can be completed is key to achieving Suga’s goal of finishing inoculations for the elderly by the end of July. (April 28)