Workplace Vaccination Applications Begin in Japan

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government started accepting applications for COVID-19 vaccinations at workplaces and universities on Tuesday, in a move to speed up the country's vaccine rollout. Applicants will be able to start vaccinations from June 21 after filing details through the websites of the prime minister's office and the health ministry. They will be allowed to start vaccinations earlier in municipalities where vaccinations for elderly residents are expected to finish at an early date. "We will do our best to deliver vaccines to as many people as quickly as possible," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference on Tuesday. There are more than 100 companies willing to administer vaccine shots to their employees at workplaces, according to administrative minister Taro Kono, who is in charge of Japan's vaccine rollout. In a Twitter post, the prime minister's office said that applications for 414 venues had been filed by 5 p.m. (8 a.m. GMT). The workplace vaccination program will use the vaccine developed by U.S. biotechnology company Moderna Inc. Participating companies and universities will have to secure the necessary venues and medical workers for the inoculations by themselves. The new program will be offered by a single company, or by a group of smaller companies with the help of local chambers of commerce. Universities will be allowed to administer doses to students. People will be able to receive shots through the new program even if they do not have vaccination tickets issued by municipalities. Before the program begins, the government will provide vaccines, syringes and freezers for storing vaccines to participating companies and universities. They will be required to give two shots each at the same venue to at least 1,000 people. On Tuesday, East Japan Railway Co. <9020>, or JR East, said it has filed an application for vaccinations at workplaces from June 21. The inoculations will be carried out at two locations, in Tokyo and in Sendai, northeastern Japan, with priority given to employees involved in its railway services. The JR East group plans to finish vaccinating about 22,000 people by the end of this year. "Speedy vaccinations will help the recovery of the whole society and economy," JR East President Yuji Fukasawa told a press conference. The group will first vaccinate about 300 people per day, then expand capacity gradually. Other applicants include Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. <8766>, Sompo Japan Insurance Inc., Suntory Holdings Ltd., Japan Airlines <9201>, All Nippon Airways and Hiroshima University. <8630> <9202> END