Japan Press Weekly

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2021 April 7 - 13 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Vaccinations for the elderly finally start in Japan, JCP Koike says 'too slow'

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira said, "It's too slow," in regard to COVID-19 vaccinations for elderly people which finally began on April 12 in Japan.

Asked by reporters for comments on the start of vaccinations, Koike pointed out that as well as for senior citizens, vaccinations for healthcare workers are being delayed.

Koike said, "Reportedly, the number of medical workers in Tokyo who have received their first shot amounts to only100,000 out of about 600,000 so far," and told the press that the JCP recently received a call from a doctor in Tokyo's Hachioji City who is puzzled by the situation in which he has to vaccinate elderly people without vaccinating himself.

Koike said, "When a nationwide vaccination endeavor will start is completely uncertain," and demanded that the government disclose precise information to the general public, confirm the safety of vaccinations, promptly procure enough vaccines, establish a nationwide vaccination distribution system, construct a more intensive PCR testing system, and compensate for losses in medical institutions' earnings.