Japan expanded a state of emergency to cover the southern island of Okinawa on Friday, as authorities approved two more coronavirus vaccines to speed a lagging inoculation campaign.
The newly approved vaccines, from Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca PLC, will join the one co-developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE in a vaccination drive that began in mid-February.
Earlier, media said the government would hold off on the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine because of concerns over blood clots and bleeding in some. The company said it was aware of the government's decision that its vaccine would not be immediately used.
"We'll do our utmost in working to ensure that all elderly people who seek vaccinations can get their two shots by the end of July," Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is leading the coronavirus response effort, told reporters.
Japan has vaccinated just 4.1% of its population, according to Reuters' global tracker https://tmsnrt.rs/3vbj5CE, the slowest rate among the world's larger, rich countries.
In contrast to some other Group of Seven (G7) nations that are beginning to end pandemic-busting lockdown measures, much of Japan remains under emergency curbs amid a fourth wave of infections.
On Friday, the government added Okinawa to its list of nine prefectures placed under the strictest emergency measures. They include Tokyo, where the Olympic Games are due to start in about two months.
JAPAN INC, PUBLIC FEARS OVER OLYMPICS
Fears that the Olympics would turn into a super-spreader event have persisted, ensuring opposition by the majority of the public to holding the Games this year.
A Reuters corporate survey https://jp.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2020-japan-companies-poll/fretting-about-covid-most-japan-firms-say-olympics-should-be-cancelled-or-postponed-reuters-poll-idUSKCN2D12SZ published on Friday showed nearly 70% of Japanese firms also want the Games either cancelled or postponed.
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