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Aichi city gave pharmacy chain chief, wife priority bookings for vaccination

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It's not worst than in some other countries but funny to expose the truth sometimes behind the "in Japan people respects queue" cliché !

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

As I commented in 2020, I'm expecting those who will be first vaccinated are the elite, the makers of the vaccines and high-level government officials, with the next in line would be emergency services, lower-level government officials and those with connections. I wasn't surprised when I read this but is still not very savory to read.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not ideal but good to see the vaccination program speeding up.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan shows it is who you know that counts..

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The local govt office could have just said no. Instead they said yes to reservation, then no, then smear campaign against the dude. If they just said no from the get go, it would save everyone from reading this article.

As I read it, the ordinary staff refused to let the Sugiuras jump the queue, so they pulled rank and leaned on (their buddy?) the mayor, who then forced the ordinary staff to put them at the front of the queue. I can only think, props to the staff who had the guts to try and stand up to some local bigwig, and good on Kono for rapping the mayor on the knuckles, which hopefully means these staff who did the right thing are hopefully a bit protected from retaliation by their higher-ups.

It's just a hunch, but I can't help feeling Kono is actually one of the more pragmatic ministers, who probably has minimal control over this whole fiasco of a government (non) response, and he was just set up by the ruling faction who installed Suga, to effectively destroy Kono's chances of becoming PM by being the public face of the vaccine debacle. He seems to be trying to avoid the limelight as much as poss. Maybe I'm wrong though - I'd like to know more.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Apparently name dropping is still a thing in Japan. Fortunately the dude runs his own business otherwise they will be calling for him to resign. Am sure if the roll out of the vaccine wasn't being toppled by the government bureaucrats this story wouldn't have caught any headlines. Just like everyone else he also needs the vaccine.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I really should change my handle to I'm Not Surprised.

why do you think ive had my handle all these years

3 ( +5 / -2 )

We get it..., it’s Japan’s culture, Japan’s way of life. So we have to accept this and move on.

whats that self serving, giving priority to those with status, I though Japan was a democracy following democratic rules and principles and the UN basic human rights, every democratic citizen should be treated the same regardless of religion race culture

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Kobe White Bar OwnerToday  10:47 am JST

@

ChiaPetToday  07:03 am JST

Status should not get you priority! We are all humans! Wait your turn!

new to Japan per chance?

new to Planet Earth perchance? I would've said.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How could they be so naïve as to think they could keep it secret?

In the words of the song:

She was poor, but she was honest...................

It's the same the whole world over

It's the poor what gets the blame

It's the rich what gets the pleasure

Ain't it all a bloomin' shame?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

There's tens of millions of doses of vaccine sitting in a warehouse just sitting unused. 40% of European vaccine imports go to Japan. Almost 74 million doses. That's the real scandal. This is a distraction.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

So? Why would anyone be surprised? This happens around the world every day.

It's the Golden Rule:

The man with all the gold makes the rules.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Doctors, nurses, old, sick people first!

Front line gives so much more!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Go read this chumps apology. Straight out of the LDP playbook. Blamed it all on his secretary harassing the city office without any instructions. In fact he didn't even want the vaccine. POS

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Completely wrong. The viruses don’t care at all about all those thinking. Vaccinate quickly whoever is showing his or her shoulder. It doesn’t play a role anymore if fair or unfair, 70 or 45 old, the very preferred cronies or the bullied homeless in the city park. The time is running for the whole society, that’s what counts only.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This is bad enough in countries where vaccinations are progressing smoothly, in a country like Japan where people will have to wait months to receive the first dose is much worse, someone has to take responsibility of this.

This is Japan. No one takes responsibility for anything. That's why politicians continue to say and do anything without caring. Because the sheeple here just keep voting them back in. So why bother taking responsibility for anything?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@

ChiaPetToday  07:03 am JST

Status should not get you priority! We are all humans! Wait your turn!

new to Japan per chance?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Man whatever.

You wanna give the shots to the "elite" and the ones with "power and money," do it and hurry up. Who cares about them? Let them spend their money or whatever it is they do. But just hurry up!

Finish all your little buddies and move on so the rest of the population can get it already. They are gonna be surrounded by us plebeians anyway in daily life.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I don't see the issue, they are both over 65. So their company called to get them on a list, instead of them just doing it over the phone by themselves. Rich busy people always have other people do stuff for them. Big deal. Considering he owns a pharmaceutical company, I am surprised he could not be inoculated under the classification as a health care worker. Dude should have just worked 1 hour a week in the pharmacy office, instead of sitting behind the desk. Of course, he wants his wife to get the vaccine too, that is what caring partners do. The local govt office could have just said no. Instead they said yes to reservation, then no, then smear campaign against the dude. If they just said no from the get go, it would save everyone from reading this article.

I think the big issue looking forward with the Japan vaccine role out, will be the reservation system. It is cumbersome, the elderly are not known for being net saavy, the telephones are jammed, and cannot get through. Well, old people just give up.

Maybe have reservation system for the elderly for the first 6 weeks, but just give us 6am to 11pm vaccine centers, walk in only for the normal under 65 population from July 1st. If Japanese people will wait 2+ hours in line for a disneyland ride, I could imagine those that want the vaccine will wait as well. Make it easy for the people, and it will be easier to vaccinate more of the population. Less hankos, more high fives.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I really should change my handle to I'm Not Surprised.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It doesnt bother me. At least they got the shot.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

They're both above 65. Vaccinate them and the rest of the above 65 so we can continue with the rest already.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"a completely unnecessary response"

Ummm... that's the harshest language you can think of Kono? Maybe worried about how YOU are going to explain it when it's the Olympians turns over the dying in old folks' homes?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

It happens everywhere but should not be accepted anywhere.

same goes for olympic athletes. Of course all politicians have been vaccinated. Always an excuse “ giving the good example “, important duties...

but journalists at every press conference about covid should ASK the question. Too scared

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Look at India and 3rd world countries, the rich always get priority.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

This is how they roll on this archipelago. The OGs of power and wealth get the first shot at everything.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Greedy folk are everywhere.

Why is anyone surprised that this happened?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Its how the world works, no matter the country! Reality is not ideals and what we think is right. People have hard time understanding reality and seeing for what it really is. Which is ugly! if you can see that. you will find that you start to understand how the world really works and will make you a better decision maker and investor.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

We get it..., it’s Japan’s culture, Japan’s way of life. So we have to accept this and move on.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Every prefecture in Japan has conducted some thousands of vaccinations to aged people already despite for some, booking systems that just becoming available this week for bookings in a few weeks time. So how have the lucky thousands already vaccinated been chosen? I don't know the answer, but I wonder if investigation might show more than a few prefectures where favours were dispensed, or with a high percentage of aged city council workers already vaccinated. And don't forget they still haven't finished vaccinating all the first stage medical personnel. Where are they with that 50% yet?

10 ( +10 / -0 )

This is bad enough in countries where vaccinations are progressing smoothly, in a country like Japan where people will have to wait months to receive the first dose is much worse, someone has to take responsibility of this.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Shameful.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Clearly this is what is happening across the nation, connected people are getting vaccinated while the average Japanese are patiently and politely waiting until hell to freezes over.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Meanwhile a good friend in Tokyo with stage 4 terminal lung cancer has to wait until July for her first shot. Priorities.....

15 ( +16 / -1 )

I am pretty sure most if not all the J-Gov politicians are vaccinated.

They selfish and self-serving.

Most are older than dirt.

Status is king in Nippon.
18 ( +19 / -1 )

How much does anyone want to bet that this is happening all over the place?

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Unfortunately this happens in my home country too.

Fairness is sometimes forgotten.

It is very sad to see that wealthy or more powerful people get the priority.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Status is everything in Japan, especially now. At least these monsters were reported.

20 ( +22 / -2 )

not good, but you know this stuff is going to happen. Just get more vaccines in more arms and move on

11 ( +15 / -4 )

Status should not get you priority! We are all humans! Wait your turn!

18 ( +19 / -1 )

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