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Japan donates more than 1 million AstraZeneca doses to Taiwan

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Japan has enough vaccines for everyone here. That is not the main issue. The problem seems to be not enough medical staff to administer the vaccinations in a timely manner.

Better to send the extra vaccines to our neighbors ( and make political alliances ), than to throw them in the garbage.

20 ( +22 / -2 )

Amazing gesture from one great nation to another. This will just reinforce Taiwans love for Japan.

I will say it again - the US MUST recognize Taiwan diplomatically as an independent nation, so as she can then join the UN, WHO and QUAD. Having the expertise of Taiwan in WHO would have made a huge improvement in how this disaster was handled.

Democracy and freedom will be much stronger in the region when this happens. Plus it will further alienate Communist China.

12 ( +35 / -23 )

How about getting your own house in order first?

12 ( +19 / -7 )

Not surprised at all,this it the typical Japanese “tatemae”

The elite blue princes and lords rule the country without caring to their people and rights but want to show to the world how good they are.

First, You seem to misunderstand "tatemae" as a word and its usage.

Second, Japan has secured sufficient doses or the double amount needed for all its residents besides this Astra-Zeneca donation. Japan's current issue is manpower shortage for speedy rollouts (due more to bureaucratic red tapes than to substantial shortfall), not vax procurement. As vaccines have expiration dates, its delivery to Taiwan in time is a smart sharing and win-win for both sides.

Third, it's pretty common and justifiable for many states to try to "look good" to overseas in order to make larger strategic gains. It's a different level of talks and concern.

12 ( +19 / -7 )

Japan with it;s huge money and influences have secured enough vaccine but because of redtape and insufficient manpower and some of its have to be thrown away. Taiwan in the other hand has been blocked by China from securing vaccine. It's a win win situation actually for both countries who are very friendly towards each other.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Hold on, let me get this straight.

So at the beginning of the year we had no vaccines and for two main reasons (officially):

(a) we are managing the fight against covid, we have few infected and daily tests confirm it. We don't need to vaccinate.

b) we would have vaccinated a long time ago, if only foreign countries didn't block vaccine supplies (and the like).

Then there were other problems with distribution, storage, and not running out of supplies. And now we're sending it to Taiwan. That's feathering your own nest.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

For the people who are complaining about not using vaccines for domestic people, you are barking at the wrong tree. There is no issue with the vaccine stock, but how that stock is being used. Over bureaucratic approach and complete lack of organization are the reason why inoculation is slow in Japan, not the vaccine stock. What I could see from this action of Japan is the following. They will get free international political points. Also since vaccine is domestic product they will get a free testing ground.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

This is a very important move! You never know when Japan might need to call on Taiwan for help!

7 ( +23 / -16 )

Japanese soft power.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

This is just political. Instead of giving these millions of vaccins to their own citizens but they are scared even though produced locally. Not enough man-power is bad excuse. You do not have to be a specialist to add this vaccin into the body. But the administration is ridiculous and it takes hours for people to register an appointment. People without internet are lost and have to ask the neighbours for support. Very poor preparations while the government had almost one year to prepare the logistics.

Anyway, it is better to give the vaccins away than throwing away.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

How about vaccines for people living in Japan?!?!?!

5 ( +16 / -11 )

Yes, because Japan does not trust them for the Japanese public and they would expire in the fridges.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Japan already secured 400 million doses for its own people. 1.26 million doses of AstraZ made in Japan were send to Taiwan because Taiwan helped Japan a lot in the past. No doubt Taiwanese people are very happy about it.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

seriously?! They've not vaccinated anywhere near the number they need to here. They are giving vaccines to students going overseas and other countries. AND STILL holding the Olympics.

What are they doing?

3 ( +30 / -27 )

Good news!

Yet some people will take the opportunity to make it dark news. Negative. Complain as always about something.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Am i beimg thick or in the picture is she having the jab through her coat?

Must be a photo from the simulation test event they held in January.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Not surprised at all,this it the typical Japanese “tatemae”

The elite blue princes and lords rule the country without caring to their people and rights but want to show to the world how good they are.

So many foreigners living abroad have such a distorted and positive image about Japan.

And again this is thanks to show their bronze face to the world.

2 ( +28 / -26 )

William- excellent post.

Just really disgusting how Japan treats the taxpayers here. If they keep voting the same people in, they are going to get more and more misery.

2 ( +28 / -26 )

Tokyo is donating more than one million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines to Taiwan,

Totally fine with this. Japan does not want AstraZeneca anyway. And besides, Japan does not have the capacity to administer the vaccine so might as well use them more quickly.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Helping Taiwan is good, but can someone get hold of the LDP playbook to find out what the hell they are up to - finish the health workers you morons

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Hold on, let me get this straight.

So at the beginning of the year we had no vaccines and for two main reasons (officially):

(a) we are managing the fight against covid, we have few infected and daily tests confirm it. We don't need to vaccinate.

b) we would have vaccinated a long time ago, if only foreign countries didn't block vaccine supplies (and the like).

Then there were other problems with distribution, storage, and not running out of supplies. And now we're sending it to Taiwan. That's feathering your own nest.

Japan obviously does not trust Astra Zeneca (certain rumours) so they giving them to Taiwan. Always remember, Japan always looks after number 1.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Japan is waiting on their own Pharmaceutical companies to make their own vaccine from what I have heard around Tokyo.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

God, it feels so good when the PRC is pissed off. So good

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Am i beimg thick or in the picture is she having the jab through her coat?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Is it sanitary to vaccinate through clothing? Some of the clothing particles may get into the blood stream?

(photo above).

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Isn' t this just that Japan preferred Pfizer and Moderna and has already secured more than enough vaccine and do not need AZ within medical expiry timeframe (probably due to the similar reason Sueden and Denmark officially ceased to apply those) and Taiwan has been no problem with AZ?

Taiwan approved AZ in last March, and has since been familiar with the product and rollout with it.

More tactically, they don't necessarily have to rush to use given doses; with AZ as backups at home, Taiwan attains a better negotiating position for vax procurement deals over prices and terms.

Moreover, Japan's icebreaking move would encourage other countries to follow suit. The US has just announced to deliver doses to Taiwan. Note that Taipei at first asked the US for help while the Biden administration didn't respond immediately; Japan's initial act make things easier.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I think the photo subtitle in very small print is saying all :

"Japan has secured enough AstraZeneca doses for 60 million people but is not administering it, as concerns linger about rare blood clots"

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Good.

And if Japan has enough other vaccines already, fast track donations of AZ vac to other needy neighbors as well, give them all up asap

1 ( +5 / -4 )

How do they vaccinate this lady in the photo? Right through the jacket?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why is the picture showing a fake vaccination? Hidden meaning?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

China is disgusting.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Maybe even the local might wake up and realize that it’s time for a real change if Japan wants to keep up with other modern great democracies.

LOL Like which one?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Isn' t this just that Japan preferred Pfizer and Moderna and has already secured more than enough vaccine and do not need AZ within medical expiry timeframe (probably due to the similar reason Sueden and Denmark officially ceased to apply those) and Taiwan has been no problem with AZ?

Yes it must be waste of bloody Tax payer's money but It was emergency too.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So Taiwan is not using the Chinese vaccine? Relations must be pretty bad.

Of course relations between China and Taiwan are "bad".

How could you ever have good relations with a country that denies your existence and insists on absorbing you into their system - which is far less free and open.

Also, in Taiwan they have a specific law banning the use of any Chinese vaccine on humans.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I can see the real problem with the vaccination program here. People who refuse to take off their jackets (and hats) when getting the shot.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Easy to spend other people's money and easy to give away what isn't yours.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"Japan always looks after number 1."

Who doesn't????

Name just one.

One half would do too.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

But after all these scandals and outrage from the public opinion maybe things can change and they can give a chance to Edano and his members.

Maybe yes maybe not as CDPJ has been the one which stooped and blocked Diet deliberations every time. Don't you remember last year, where they were all MORI-KAKE even ignored covid-related deliberation

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Behind this gesture, the fact is that Japan does not want to use AstranaZeneca. It tries to refurbish it.

And that is why Suga begged for more Pfizer vaccine while in the US. Japan could giver the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, but Astrana is considered more dangerous. Don’t be fooled by this gesture

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Wow...Right through the jacket...Is legit?

Shouldn't be an issue as long as goes into deltoid muscle then should get full effect. LOL

Stll pretty stupid to administer it through the coat though eh? Back to the drawing board with training I reckon.

/S

0 ( +0 / -0 )

87% of Brits trust the Covid vaccinations. In Japan, only 47% trust vaccines. About the same in S. Korea.

I've also read that it's around 19% or so in the Philippines. What the heck is going on in Asia as a whole?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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0 ( +0 / -0 )

Low key, I think Japan wants Taiwan as thier own prefecture. China VS Japan. I bet my money on China.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They donated astrazeneca and not the once from phizer or moderna. Maybe because astrazeneca won't be used in Japan?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

""Japan has secured enough AstraZeneca doses for 60 million people but is not administering it, ""

Give it away before it runs out of shelf life please, it will look very bad on Japan if it trashes vaccines again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That photo tells you all you need to know about the competance Ministry of (un)Health here.

Hey no need to roll up that jacket sleeve baachan.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Japan donates more than 1 million AstraZeneca doses to Taiwan

Oh that's nice!

Japan has secured enough AstraZeneca doses for 60 million people but is not administering it, as concerns linger about rare blood clots.

...Oh, should've read the small print.

"Hey Taiwan, we'd like to donate more than 1 million AstraZeneca doses... No no no, don't mention it, it's just a token of our national generosity and an attempt to bolster the relationship between our two countries. Sorry?... are we sure we don't need them? - Oh no we don't need these ones, we think they are dangerous and pose a significant risk to people's health. Please accept them out of the goodness of our heart."

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

For as altruistic as this seems, the optics are strange. Japan doesn’t appear to have its priorities in order. It’s vaccination program is limping along, it’s moving forward with holding the Olympics, an event that is already diverting critical resources from an effective Covid response, hospitals are near breaking point, and healthcare professionals are under intense stress while essentially being ignored. As all of this is happening, Japan decides to donate vaccines to another country. Japan’s domestic response needs to be organized first. Then donating will make more sense.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Let me get this straight:

The Japanese government used our tax revenue to buy Astrazeneca vax, and is now giving it away to Taiwan rather than using it to vaccinate the people who paid for it?

Instead of getting jabs in arms, the authorities are still, according to the picture, going through a kabuki of simulating what it might be like to administer the vaccine?

Again, according to the picture, this kabuki roleplay does not involve training the people who are presumably learning to perform the jabs to even ask the patient to take off their coat?

And all this time Japan falls further and further behind. Pointless ceremonies are the only priority.

In every department.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Just really disgusting how Japan treats the taxpayers here. If they keep voting the same people in, they are going to get more and more misery.

You maybe right. but leave it to Japanese voters and you can keep calling they are all so DAMN enough if it helps you.

Some people may still not be able to trust CDPJ, JCP all other garbage like Mizuho Fukushima.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Very friendly, the intentions to help out Taiwan. But and only Astra? What maximum crazy moron had this idea? If I were Taiwan I would ally with China and occupy the Senkakus for that enemy-like act of delivering the worst efficient , most unclean and sometimes even killing vaccines as a ‘present’. Just be at least so clever and give them a mix of Astra, Pfizer and Moderna or so, to keep the damage small.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

So... I just paid for my vaccine, my wife's, and her extended families vaccines to be given to Taiwan?

And you really gotta love the -- "Well, it's just the stuff we don't want to use here -- the Astrazeneca. Yes, the taxpayers still bought and paid for it, true, but we are waiting for a domestic vaccine to allay the fears of the people."

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Alot of countries dumping these dangerous vaccines on eachother.

Buyer's remorse becomes charity and virtuous!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I see this move as a provocative move towards China. In this case, I understood that Japanese politics methods are too old as explained to me by good Japanese taxpayers. Not wise move. Very unfortunate.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Aly

Just really disgusting how Japan treats the taxpayers here

So true Aly,and I agree with your posts.

The point is that Japanese people have a tendency to be conservative to the core so even if the LDP is doing bad they keep voting for the same old thing.

But after all these scandals and outrage from the public opinion maybe things can change and they can give a chance to Edano and his members.

Maybe even the local might wake up and realize that it’s time for a real change if Japan wants to keep up with other modern great democracies.

-10 ( +12 / -22 )

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