Japan has rolled out vaccine for its elderly against the coronavirus pandemic, despite the increasing fears of a new wave of infections as they commence vaccination on Monday, April 12, 2021.
The nation will immunize about 36 million people aged 65 and over, accounting for 29% of its population.
The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines has been incredibly sluggish since its introduction in mid-February. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, only 0.4% of the population was completely vaccinated as of Friday, April 9, 2021.
The government also declared a semi-state of emergency in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Okinawa prefectures, citing an increase in new coronavirus cases caused by the widespread dissemination of new virus variants.
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Tokyo, which will host the postponed Olympic Games in less than four months, reported 421 new infections on Sunday, after surpassing 500 new regular cases for the fourth day in a row.
According to NHK, Japan has recorded approximately 507,600 known infections and more than 9,400 deaths associated with COVID-19.
A week ago, the central government declared a semi-state of emergency in Osaka, Miyagi, and Hyogo prefectures.
Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s Prime Minister, told reporters on Friday that the latest strains accounted for approximately 70% of infections in the western prefectures of Osaka and Hyogo, and approximately 20% in Tokyo.
