TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2021) Japan will send 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine shots each to Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia on July 15, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said during a press conference on Tuesday.
In addition, Tokyo intends to provide up to 11 million doses of the vaccine to 15 countries, including Fiji, Iran, Laos, and others, through the international WHO-backed COVAX sharing facility, the minister said. Tokyo is expected to send AstraZeneca vaccines, produced under license in Japan.
The Japanese government signed a contract for 120 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines but was unwilling to greenlight their widespread use due to reports of cases of rare blood clots in people who have received doses. However, even without AstraZeneca, the contracts already signed by Japan for the supply of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines cover the needs of the Japanese population over 16 years old.
