A container with the first Japan-allocated batch of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine is unloaded from a Japan Airlines plane upon its arrival from Belgium at Kansai airport in Osaka Prefecture on Friday. Photo: KYODO
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1st batch of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Japan

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Simplefacts

Now if JT posters would just read and do some research before complaining. To be fair, it does take a lot of intelligence to research an issue as complex as a pandemic and the politics of a supply chain of medicine If they had done some research they would have found the following:

Brussels blocks vaccine exports in all but name

It’s all a bit nuanced, but EU pressures vaccine-makers to prioritize Europe rather than it overtly blocking exports.

https://www.politico.eu/article/vaccine-export-block-europe-coronavirus-astrazeneca/

but again, it takes intelligence and maybe the right schooling. Attributes that are sadly lacking in the JT posters community.

Disinformation, deflecting and bending the truth like always but under a new name with a little bit of insults added...

The EU is merely pressuring AstraZeneca to honor their contractual obligations (in fact they have now filed a lawsuit against AstraZeneca over its failure to deliver doses on time). They have signed an agreement with the EU that states that the EU will receive their shipments irrespective of any obligations to other parties. AstraZeneca claimed that it was 'first come, first served' which is obviously in conflict with the agreement they have with the EU. They also stated in their agreement that they would use the sites in the EU (which also includes the ones in the UK in this case) would be used to fulfil their obligations. Later there were issues at one manufacturing sites in the EU which they expected to compensate with imports from outside. There is no evidence that any vaccine has been shipped from the UK to the EU even though the sites there are part of the agreement. In march AstraZeneca then informed the EU that there would likely be a large delivery shortfall of some 100 million doses in the following months. It is hardly surprising that the EU is putting pressure on AstraZeneca under these conditions.

You also failed to mention that it has so far only affected AstraZeneca, so that can't even affect Japan since that one hasn't even been approved yet.

Or what about the fact that the EU has authorized the export of 148 million doses between January and April 27? Japan actually takes the first spot with about 52.3 million doses according to Bloomberg. At what point will you stop blaiming others for the failure of the Japanese government?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Apparently, municipalities in Japan have apparently requested a ‘slower vaccine rollout’ in order to notify residents and set up venues for vaccinations. Yeah, because notifying people takes months doesn’t it? It’s not like we’ve got some kind of advanced technology like the internet is it? And it’s not like there’s a sense of urgency is it? I mean, no one's actually dying are they?

Come on Japan, do better.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Wait. Not so fast....

Storage for a few months first. Then some paperwork to secure the distribution. And a few rounds of consultations and meetings to approve that paperwork. We will of course need committee approval after that which might take 6-8 months to get the required consensus. Now can I have my shot? Noooooo. Still waiting for the results of the prefectural lotteries after which some paperwork will be processed, to process the paperwork, in order to have the necessary documents approved to ensure the right documents are sent to document the documentation. But in the meantime we can put this nice big box of vaccines next to the other nice big boxes of vaccines in a depot somewhere. But that storage will require some paperwork AND some meetings so please bear with us....

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@expat. Shelf life under refrigeration is 3 month.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

1st batch of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Japan

> > It will become the second type of shot available in the country after the one developed by Pfizer Inc if a health ministry panel greenlights it on May 20.

And what if they DON'T "greenlight" it?

Well I guess it doesn't matter either way. The same end result will happen even if it is approved. Just be hoarded up somewhere to collect dust.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Stop procrastinating and put this jab in any arm willing to have it.

More than 100MM people had it already, with all data shared, what the f.... for further certification?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The speed of vaccination in Japan is very high. Of 0.2% of the population per day, since April 26. That is not the real problem.

The big problem is that Japan started vaccinating, as of last February 17. While the US and Europe started in December. This two-month delay is now weighing down the entire country.

Just yesterday, the first dose of the vaccine reached 2% of the population. With this speed in case it does not decrease. It would be possible to vaccinate 1% of the population in 5 days.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

It is not that the Japanese government does not have the ability to distribute the vaccines, they simply do not want to.

The answer to why is corruption. The vaccine industry is one of the most protected industries in Japan, they are likely looking out for the domestic vaccine maker. In addition, pretty much every program involved with coronavirus this past couple of years have been rife with corruption, from paying 5x market price for software to abe's masks. When you have a government filled with politicians who are only interested in maximizing their own bribes, no wonder everything is ending up in complete failure.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The country currently lags far behind other advanced countries

Can we really still refer to Japan as 'advanced', when speaking in the context of the fight against Coronavirus?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

2 Year OldToday 06:38 pm JST

So they expect 900,000 people who are probably the most computer illiterate segment of the population to make a booking using computers or smart phone.

Then join the crowded commuter trains to come into Tokyo from other prefectures... like really?

Ridiculous!!

Mr Bean could organize this vaccine roll out better, but he escaped in a music case for big tubas.

You are funny.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

@Zichi

Try the internet. Like in Europe, there will be an overload of the telephone booking line.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Great news! It would be better if they also imported some nurses to administer the vaccines.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If they had done some research they would have found the following: 

Brussels blocks vaccine exports in all but name

I knews it! We ain’t got that darn vaccine here all because o’ all them thar EU varmints.

I tolds yer Charlene, we shoulda gone done voted for that thar Brexit. Goshdarnit, I guess we just don’t gots the ‘intelligence and schooling’ for them thar fancy ideas.

If only there was some way us simple folks could get a hold o’ them facts an’ all.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

‘simple facts’ presented in a simple manner by simple people.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

2 Year OldToday 06:38 pm JST

So they expect 900,000 people who are probably the most computer illiterate segment of the population to make a booking using computers or smart phone.

Then join the crowded commuter trains to come into Tokyo from other prefectures... like really?

Ridiculous!!

Mr Bean could organize this vaccine roll out better.

funny

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

"Now, if the government just had a vaccine rollout plan. To be fair, it’s not as if the government has had much time to consider how to get the vaccine into people’s arms."

Now if JT posters would just read and do some research before complaining. To be fair, it does take a lot of intelligence to research an issue as complex as a pandemic and the politics of a supply chain of medicine If they had done some research they would have found the following:

Brussels blocks vaccine exports in all but name

It’s all a bit nuanced, but EU pressures vaccine-makers to prioritize Europe rather than it overtly blocking exports.

https://www.politico.eu/article/vaccine-export-block-europe-coronavirus-astrazeneca/

but again, it takes intelligence and maybe the right schooling. Attributes that are sadly lacking in the JT posters community.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Well, to be honest anaphylactic shock is no joke, and if that's a possible side effect, I say take your time Japan and get it right.

You know what is much more frequent and lethal than anaphylactic shock? COVID. "Take your time" is not something that can be done for free, specially with an increasing number of cases. Every day it cost lives.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Well, to be honest anaphylactic shock is no joke, and if that's a possible side effect, I say take your time Japan and get it right. That's stuff going on in Israel seems draconian, so I hope to God they don't mimic them. Just get it right once, so we don't have to go through it again. Do what's really best for the people. Peace.

Anaphylactic shock is, as you said, a serious matter.

But:

Most adults and children who are susceptible will already know this and avoid the current vaccine and all other vaccines for that reason.

Draconian would be making everybody eat peanuts, just shoving them down and watching people die. But that won’t happen anywhere, just as forced vaccine won’t happen in Japan.

So relax. Eat peanuts if you don’t have an allergy. If you have an allergy, don’t eat peanuts and read the packaging.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

zichi, members of the family (over 65), on communicating with the "call centers" are being subject to a rather disjointed system.

Some are vaccinated within days others are informed they will have a date in June. The process could be simplified.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Japan should order a billion-zillion doses, just to not use them.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

That's an interesting location, in Otemachi, a major business center and destination for adults not yet approaching retirement.

I think I'll keep checking if there are cancelled appointments. Eventually, before end-July, they may admit adults below retirement age, if many elderly people choose to wait for vaccination at a place closer to where they live rather than travel to Otemachi.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So they expect 900,000 people who are probably the most computer illiterate segment of the population to make a booking using computers or smart phone.

Then join the crowded commuter trains to come into Tokyo from other prefectures... like really?

Ridiculous!!

Mr Bean could organize this vaccine roll out better.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Oops, messed up my calculation above. Should be 88% over 15 which gives us 110,360,800

The vaccine quantity demand would be 68,423,696 x 2 for a total of 136 million does (less those already vaccinated) This number is still not so huge and they likely can secure it all through Moderna since they are partners with Takeda.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

If 59.3% of the population is over 15 (2020 census) and we use the latest population of Japan of 125,410,000[ we get 74,368,130 people eligible for the vaccine.

Of those people, we know through surveys that 62% plan to get the vaccine. (source: Guardian)

So that would mean Japan requires supply for 46 million residents (x 2 doses) ... a total of around 92 million doses (less those already vaccinated.)

That means Moderna would already cover over half of the demand. One more shipment of Moderna and they wouldn't need to worry about Pfizers' delicate vaccine.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

It is becoming clearer by the day, the Government of Japan is no closer to having a sound and rational vaccine policy from the moment the Japan Pfizer vaccine approval,

Let alone this arrival of the first 1st batch of Moderna vaccine.

The Suga government and cabinet are collectively comatose to the risks

Aged family members (Kochi) are unable to book a date for a jab before June.

Yet others have received there first shot.

With the Olympics Game looming, Golden Week in fill swing across the nation, a state of emergency is in effect being ignored.

Tokyo still crowded despite state of emergency

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210426_15/

This Government is on the verge of a catastrophic failure of leadership.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Doctors have too much power here. Get over yourselves and let the nurse do it. You don’t need 4 people watching you while you do it either.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

The center in Tokyo's Otemachi district is expected to be used by some 900,000 people aged 65 or older residing in the capital and neighboring Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures. It will launch on May 24 and be staffed by Self-Defense Forces doctors and nurses, according to the government.

What an incredibly STUPID IDEA!!! The govt expect all the old folks to COME TO the vaccines it MUST be the other way round.....DOH!!! Add in all the daft admin the old folks will have to do & most are going to be scratching their heads & have no idea what they are to do!

My MIL in Nara go a post card about the vaccine & she is freaking out because it has a QR Code on it & she doesnt have a smartphone or computer....

The govt should be able to do this much easier for everyone but not they have to make everything stupidly complex for no real reasons........

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Suga has completely lost it and is playing panic football.

he again repeated that “ all people over 65 will be inoculated by end of July” That is simply an impossible and mad statement. With about one million out of 34 million now inoculated that is a complete impossibility in view of a completely incompetent system.

maybe he means July 2022 ?

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Just gonna expire in storage. Japan is not even gonna finish dosing the 16M Pfizer vaccines by end of this year.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

And they already have a major stockpile of Pfizer's vaccine just sitting around. It's one things if you're having difficulty getting supplies like many countries but Japan must be the only that has a large stock yet are vaccinating at a snail's pace. And their plan is to open a huge space in central Tokyo that will require reservations? What about decentralizing vaccinations and allowing hospitals and clinics all over Japan to vaccinate? It's not as if it's a super technical process and Japan has probably the best distribution systems in the world with their takkyubin/delivery (refrigerated trucks) network.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

i don’t mind not to wait for the Japanese certification, give me !

Yeah, if it is just going to sit in a stockpile, they should give it to people from countries that have approved the vaccine. A vaccine trial performed exclusively on Asian people is not going change anything for me personally. I would happily receive the vaccine with a disclaimer that any issues would have to be taken up with the UK government for approving it, not the Japanese one.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

@Luddite - Pleased you've noticed that too. News on them approving AZ has gone very quiet especially since the approval was filed around the same time as Moderna. I think the (tiny - I'm not bothered) risks popping up in Europe, along with the US not using it might have seen the end of AZ here sadly, which is a shame as its actually being manufactured here.

Listening to TalkSport this morning before work and repeated again (as it has been for the last 2 weeks) was the UK Government ad that 38,000 are being jabbed an hour.

Disgraceful here, and an easy way out of this constant shutdown/restriction/limited hours rubbish.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Put them in the fridges to be forgotten en rediscovered in 2063.

i don’t mind not to wait for the Japanese certification, give me !

14 ( +16 / -2 )

It’ll just sit in storage like the Pfizer one, and where oh where is the approval for the Astra Zeneca vaccine?

20 ( +22 / -2 )

Many people don't want the vaccines

-30 ( +12 / -42 )

You can import MILLIONS of Vaccines but if your not putting them into the arms of the citizens, THIS STORY DOES NOT MATTER!

33 ( +35 / -2 )

1st batch of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Japan

Great, so we can expect them to actually be administered in what, mid-2022 or so then?

30 ( +30 / -0 )

@P Smith only 14 months. These things take time. Lol

33 ( +33 / -0 )

Actually who cares? Will it be shipped and stored like the other aging vaccines?

17 ( +23 / -6 )

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