Vaccinations for elderly to begin in populous areas in limited supply

Time to vote out the LDP and put some smarter people in power as this news is embarassing for Japan.

This was expected. “* ... 12 other prefectures have yet to decide on a plan, ....and 5 are still working on plans.*” - Again, they’re all thinking “Let’s Wait and See” IF it’s absolutely needed.

[translation] "If you are unfortunate enough to be elderly, and live in a rural village or a remote island, then HELL WILL FREEZE before you get your shot!"

8 million in one month, or roughly 160,000 per day.

Kono should never show his face in public again! These are embarrassing numbers for a supposed "developed country"

The division between public and private in Japan has become crystal clear-I’m aghast at where my tax money goes (on steak dinners) and it is not on organized protective health care...

As laughable as the Abemask!

This is where a national govt mandate is needed. The provinces just aren't ready to make these decisions, that is clear. Don't let them.

They also need to be much more selective about who gets vaccinated in each group.

People over 65 isn't sufficiently narrow. It will just lead to frustration. With Japan's health care system, seems like they'd have a list and should be able to setup appointments to be vaccinated in a highly efficient AND risk-based manner.

Heck, they should know within 1% how many doses are needed for each vaccination location with all that data known already. I'd be surprised if someone couldn't slurp the health records and create predicted dates for everyone to be vaccinated across the country for 2 doses. Being predictable is much better than not knowing you are on the list already. I'm on a list in my area, but they haven't provided any predicted date for getting vaccinated. They haven't shared how approximate timeframes either. If 1M/day are being vaccinated, would be nice to know what the province and local numbers are for daily vaccinations.

If I had predicted vaccination dates, I'd make travel plans, be more likely to spend money, all sorts of things would start happening that are good for me and the economy.

They've known vaccines have been coming for HOW LONG and they are stil deciding on a plan?????

The populous Tokyo, Osaka and Kanagawa prefectures will receive enough vaccines for around 2,000 people, with others scheduled for 1,000 people in the first batch.

Oh behave. 2,000 doses? We have tens of millions of people in those prefectures.

Are we genuinely going for the herd immunity strategy that worked out so splendidly under Scott Atlas?

This is beyond incompetence. I don't think we need to worry about foreign sports fans coming for the Olympics. Suga seems hell-bent on generating a Japan variant, to prove how unique we are.

Banana republic at its best.

”Developed country” some say.

The wildest ones even risk to come with the “superior genes/race” propaganda, which always makes me laugh.

With respect @AG, recalled your Mar. 12 5:11p post: ”after a year of pandemic,.. The only system here, so far, is the no test, no tracing, no vaccine that we have been witnessing.”

230,542 people in Japan have been vaccinated in the past twenty five days.

That is according to today's New York Times.

That equals about 9,000 jabs per day.

A bit worrying.

2000 people!

I thought with all their delays, problems and incompetence they might be able to vaccinate all the over 65s by the Autumn and the rest of the population by 2022. Clearly even such a target is overly ambitious.

More like over 65s by Autumn 2022 and the rest of the population by 2023.

What amazes me is that they would publicly want to release such a number. They must figure saying they have started is better than saying nothing and people will miss the part about the number. Will work better for their image. Their election propaganda can say look we have started. Not that it matter though whatever they do they will get re-elected but I guess it looks better that way.

This is just stupid. I'll be making my appointment in America as soon as I can guarantee the J&J shot. Won't see it in Japan anytime this year otherwise.

It's time for Japan, as an elderly society, to collectively retire. Let the young take over.

To finish the 4.8M HW in a month's time, Japan has to 8x their effort. Good luck with that.

I don't think people should be happy with the slow, poorly planned rollout of COVID vaccinations in Japan. In the US the same thing happened until strong leadership and good management were implemented. Japan needs the same thing. As the article mentioned each prefecture is deciding how to allocate the limited supply of vaccine to best combat the spread of the virus. Okinawa has excluded its capital city initially in favor of outlying islands. The major source of infection in Okinawa prefecture has been mainland tourists. The outlying islands have high tourism and limited medical facilities. Both Miyako-jima and Ishigaki-jima have had overwhelming outbreaks requiring JSDF assistance in the past. It makes sense to do it this way. I'm just hoping that Japan can get the vaccine supply ramped up and get to herd immunity before 2021 ends...

Japan's strength is in being behind the rest of the world. Wait and see.

Although I’m against vaccinating the whole population, I am 100% for giving these experimental vaccines to the elderly and sick. Like the seasonal flu jab.

I suspect that there is no vaccine distribution, storage facilities outside major cities because our wonderful government is forced to buy the most expensive vaccines because of geopolitics and people in power holding shares in a certain company.

Strange, our close neighbor is providing Sputnik V to over 27 countries at around $1.50 a shot, kept in normal refrigeration, but our dear leaders has ordered 300,000,000 $20 per dose vaccines that probably won’t arrive until the middle of next year.

I don't hurry myself to take a vaccine, though I probably take it when a vaccine ticket came from city hall. I don't mind I take a vaccine next year. There's been no problem so far as long as I take a usual precaution when I go out.

The populous Tokyo, Osaka and Kanagawa prefectures will receive enough vaccines for around 2,000 people, with others scheduled for 1,000 people in the first batch.

Good enough numbers for daily batches of vaccine doses. At least until the system is running at full speed.

...

Those are daily deliveries, right?

Although I’m against vaccinating the whole population, I am 100% for giving these experimental vaccines to the elderly and sick. Like the seasonal flu jab.

They are not experimental from months ago. And the government cannot deliver vaccines that have not been approved for public consumption, approval cannot be given if the makers do not apply in the first place, so it is irrational to expect the government to distribute vaccines if the developers have had not interest in providing it on the first place.

The seasonal influenza vaccine is also recommended for everybody, not just the elderly, a big proportion of the vaccinated people are children.