Japan to procure AstraZeneca vaccine from home

AFP

Japan said on Thursday it will procure most of its 120 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine from domestic makers, as production problems overseas have raised concerns over timely distribution.

AstraZeneca has scaled back supplies it had promised to the European Union and Australia.

Thailand also confirmed this week reduced supply from AstraZeneca.

The British-Swedish company confirmed to Japan’s health ministry that more than 90 million doses will be produced within the country, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said on Thursday.

“We believe it is very important to be able to produce the vaccines domestically,” Kato told reporters.

Japan has arranged to buy 120 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, with Daiichi Sankyo, JCR Pharmaceuticals, and other local partners agreeing to make and distribute the shots.

While AstraZeneca began Japanese trials of the vaccine last summer, earlier than Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, it has not yet filed for Japanese approval of its formula, leaving the rival shot the only one currently under review in the country.

AstraZeneca did not immediately respond when contacted for comment.

Japan plans to begin its inoculation in late February, with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for front-line medical workers.