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Japan eyes vaccinating people under 65 at state-run mass centers from Thursday

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I wish they will stop putting age limits and vaccinate who ever wants to, isn't that more efficient??

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Here we go again, only for the person on the other end of the phone to say no!

Please prove me wrong Japan!

10 ( +15 / -5 )

AND stop calling them "mass" vaccination centers!

13 ( +18 / -5 )

Any attempts by this spineless government to appeal to people by saying they’re getting on with it are useless. Behind everyone else as usual.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

There is nothing MASS about the size of these sites. The only MASS anything around here will be the oh so SWEET Olympics!

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

Monty Python:

'Get on with it.'

'Yes, GET ON WITH IT!'

3 ( +5 / -2 )

It's more important not to stop the rollout, give jabs to as many people as possible, regardless of age or other priorities.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

So pathetic.

I was there (in Ohtemachi) on Friday night to see if I can get one of the thawed and unused vaccines just prior to closing hour. I was told “no way” because the site is only for those 65 and above. So ridiculous.

There was no one getting vaccinated but masses of bureaucrats and administrators just hanging around.

Our taxes are paying for this. Our livelihoods are suffering because of this.

So, so, wrong.

26 ( +29 / -3 )

Guarantee if you just show up, you'll be turned away.

"Oh, sorry you didn't make an appointment!"

"Ya, but there's like nobody in there!"

"Sorry, need an appointment, and your voucher."

"Ya, but my city hall won't send that out for like another 2 months!"

"Sorry. Come back when you have a voucher and appointment."

2 months later

"Sorry, this site is permanently closed now."

Ya gotta laugh.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Cool. So all I have to do is travel from Kumamoto to Osaka on a wing and a wish.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Instead of boasting about mass centers, they should be setting up much smaller but more numerous centers scattered throughout the country. You want people to travel as little as possible and then you expect everyone to gravitate towards this one spot in Tokyo.

I believe they offer free vaccinations to ANYONE turning up at San Francisco Airport - just an example. I've followed the news in other places, like US, UK, HK, you name it, and they all offer vaccinations and testing everywhere. Japan is in this mess because people are so apathetic.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

So pathetic.

I was there (in Ohtemachi) on Friday night to see if I can get one of the thawed and unused vaccines just prior to closing hour. I was told “no way” because the site is only for those 65 and above. So ridiculous.

There was no one getting vaccinated but masses of bureaucrats and administrators just hanging around.

Our taxes are paying for this. Our livelihoods are suffering because of this.

So, so, wrong.

Sounds anal retentive to me, but I'm not surprised.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

"If Japan wants to catch up with the world, it truly needs to become a multilingual country"

They have already surpassed about 97% of the world; while speaking Japanese.

Next!

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

It will be 90% expats lining up. Most young Japanese citizens could care less about getting the vaccine.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

We checked to see if we could change the appointment locally for the children's grandparents in their mid 90s and my neighbour who is 85 and alone set for mid July.

The centre said NO!

I can't go because my ward hasn't yet sent out the "vouchers" to under 65.

The so-called mass vaccination centre does not coordinate with the wards, so no transportation services seems available, so unless th elderly live nearby or are mobile enough and willing to risk traveling on public transit, few are going to use it.

Our ward most either walk or use the now available volunteer service to get to the local vaccination sites, these services are only within the ward and as far as I understand other wards are doing the same.

These mass centres were a poorly organised and poorly executed idea more for show than actual effectiveness.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

It will be 90% expats lining up. Most young Japanese citizens could care less about getting the vaccine.

Really? You know that how?

My 2 children and most of their friends all young adults in their 20s are ready and waiting.

They want the vaccine so they can resume normal life, see their grandparents, etc ..

It is funny how people come out with stuff like this only to regularly be proven wrong.

In my home country they naysayers and alarmist went on and on about AZ Vaccine saying no one would want it.

So the government opened up no appointment necessary vaccination for anyone willing to take the AZ vaccine the rest could wait for Pfizer on appointment.

The results were demand for AZ far out stripping supply at this point at least 80% have recieved their first dose.

So much for the predictions in that case.

In Fukushima the city that organised a simple way to get vaccinated is at 89% of it's elderly Vaccine and is now moving to do the same with the rest of the population and the demand is out stripping available Vaccine.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

@Pukey

 they should be setting up much smaller but more numerous centers scattered throughout the country. 

They should, but they can't. That's because the vast majority of the medical facilities in Japan are owned by the private sector, which doesn't want to take part in the inocluation program. Note that the 2 facilities above are state-run, which is rare in Japan, and established ad-hoc for only a 3 month period.

Why doesnt the media point this out?!? The system needs to be nationalized. I mean, how obvious is that?!?!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I wish they will stop putting age limits and vaccinate who ever wants to, isn't that more efficient??

This is how it is done in most countries, the US, EMEA, etc. It might not be efficient but it depends on priorities or who votes. In Japan, the older generation are the main voters :)

From next week companies with over 1000 employees can do in-office vaccination for their workers, ANA and JAL have already started. This should somewhat lessen the stress from the government sites.

It is moving... there is a light in the end of the tunnel.

Here we go again, only for the person on the other end of the phone to say no!

I don't understand people who come to Japan and expect them to deviate from the rules. Japan is the land of rules, live with it. Why do you put yourself in a situation when you know 1000% (for emphasis) that the person on the other end will say no ?!!! Why, oh why.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

From Thursday… To get vaccinated at those centers you need coupon from your ward office. I don’t think that anyone below 65 will get those coupons by then. If we get it in 1 month it would be great. To make things more complicated we are just missing the holy duo called fax and hanko.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So pathetic.

I was there (in Ohtemachi) on Friday night to see if I can get one of the thawed and unused vaccines just prior to closing hour. I was told “no way” because the site is only for those 65 and above. So ridiculous.

Japanese people don't have common sense like that.

One time, a delivery guy (of a document) refused to give me my package because the name in the package has my first name and last name interchanged. He was at my front door.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I don't understand people who come to Japan and expect them to deviate from the rules. Japan is the land of rules, live with it. Why do you put yourself in a situation when you know 1000% (for emphasis) that the person on the other end will say no ?!!! Why, oh why.

I didn't know that common sense and logic are not universal. I guess it differs in different country...

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Got the first Pfizer shot 6/4…had a very unpleasant week of side effects!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Got the first Pfizer shot 6/4…had a very unpleasant week of side effects!

Good! That means your immune system had a strong reaction and you are probably well protected.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

@Sandoval - I got my coupon and I think everyone in my ward (Sumida) got theirs. I know LOTS of people in other wards who don't have theirs yet though. LOTS.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ADK99

No they haven't, not under 65.

I know many in Sumida-ku, most under 65 ( 40~60) none have yet gotten their voucher.

Arakawa-ku hasn't yet sent them out for under 65, Adachi-ku just announced they will start soon to send to under 65.

I haven't gotten a voucher, not has my wife, her siblings, my ex-wife or her siblings nor any other family member under 65 and they all live within these 3 wards.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

why not open it up to anyone who wants one? The appointment system seems an unnecessary complication as well, 

First the main reason was to make sure the elderly got the vaccine first.

The silly voucher system was supposedly to control supply within prefectures, towns, cities and wards. But as usual was a disaster with some places doing things efficiently and others ( like my ward ) still stuck in hankkos and papers for everything.

I am willing to bet that if the government released AZ to private clinics mobile clinics, etc... and relaxed the mandatory pre Vaccine video lecture, Japan would have the same results as in my home country/province and people will jump at the chance.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

 the mandatory pre Vaccine video lecture

We didn’t get no mandatory pre Vaccine lecture. Just the nurse took our temperatures, the incho sensei asked if we had any allergies or had ever had a bad reaction or convulsions, then another nurse gave us our jabs. It was all very easy.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

We didn’t get no mandatory pre Vaccine lecture. 

Look at all the photos of these centres notice the tv all showing the same video. Well guess what that is.

Anyway 2 here always know better despite others actually having experience.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Open to those 65 and under on Thursday, but I suppose one still needs a ticket voucher. Adachi ward in Tokyo won't start sending them to those 64 and under until the 28th. I won't get mine until July 5th and my kids the end of July.

Lovely coordination going on.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

In western Japan more people are getting the vaccine. In Miyazaki and Fukuoka city anybody can get it.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I love the photo with this article. There’s a very prominent red arrow pointing to the left (as we see it) next to the kanji for “reception”…and there’s a guy right next to the red arrow, holding out his arm in the same direction…you know, in case people don’t understand the concept of an arrow.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So dumb, meaningless, meant to trick the foreign press.

To get an appointment you need an appointment card, but they never sent the appointment card to people under age of 65 so even if they are "open" to people under 65, it is impossible to actually get one.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

So I'm assuming I won't be allowed to bring my sone to visit his grandparents in Tohoku until 2022 then.

Europe is letting in vaccinated Americans to go where they damn well please. Japan, not so much.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

OMG! They are thinking out-of-the-box in Japan. Now they will have to figure out what to do with all those vaccinated people. They might have to let fully vaccinated people get back to normal life before everyone is vaccinated. That will sure be an incentive for those who are reluctant to get jabbed. Suddenly the anti-vaxers will be all alone. 'bout time!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

So did anyone else notice that it states "The slots from July 28 onward are mostly filled by elderly people for their second-round shots." ?

These large vaccine centers give the Moderna shot, which is a 4 week interval in Japan. This would not make sense, as they have not given the first shot even yet. The July 28th date is most likely a type for June 28th. As the article states the slots are open until June 27th.

I know many in Sumida-ku, most under 65 ( 40~60) none have yet gotten their voucher.

I know three people age over 40 who live in Sumida-ku and two have made reservations, the third will soon.

My voucher should arrive this week, and I will try my luck at the large site. Worst case is I can get it in middle July according to my local ward.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Anyway 2 here always know better despite others actually having experience.

Obviously different folk have different experiences depending on what part of the country they’re in.

The mass centers in Tokyo may have television screens and mandatory videos; the private, one-man clinic we went to didn’t.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The very definition of Japanese efficiency! Look no further!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Peeping_TomToday  05:43 pm JST

"If Japan wants to catch up with the world, it truly needs to become a multilingual country"

They have already surpassed about 97% of the world; while speaking Japanese.

Next!

Not sure why this would get so many down votes.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

roninroshiToday  07:39 pm JST

Got the first Pfizer shot 6/4…had a very unpleasant week of side effects!

Congratulations! When do you go for the 2nd shot that will give you 88% protection against the Delta variant?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Probably one of the reasons they aren’t filling the slots is they aren’t doing a good job of publicizing them. Have you noticed how there are all these articles about these centers and they never give a link or a phone number. And then they scratch their heads and wonder why they have empty slots.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Antiquesaving

You suggested that if the government relaxed the (in your experience) mandatory pre Vaccine video lecture, Japan would have the same results as in Canada. Zichi and I commented that in our local areas there are no mandatory video lectures, in other words, agreeing with you - there is no need for these videos, parts of Japan (apparently not Tokyo) are doing fine without them.

We're agreeing with you.

So what's with all the sniping and snarking?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Fear mongering to get a unknown jab? Or I’m paranoid

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Any mayor or local government leader that has not sent out the vaccine vouchers (vaccine tickets) to their citizens should resign. Total failure. (Since they wont resign, I hope the people that can vote will kick out these officials)

The stupidest procedural negligence causes delays to people getting vaccines.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

so what's the deal? We get sent our invite in the post? I've lived here for over 15 years and I still got invited for my shot back home last month :D

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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