Experts and local officials have stated that the Japanese government's delay in distributing booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines has made it more vulnerable to an increase in deaths due to the Omicron variant, compared to other wealthy countries. This could pose political troubles for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as about 30% of the population is 65 years or older, making them more susceptible to complications from COVID-19 without receiving a booster shot.
The former Prime Minister resigned from his position following widespread criticism for his mishandling of the pandemic, and the ruling party faces an important popularity test in the upper house elections this year. Japan reported 236 new COVID-19-related deaths on Tuesday, the highest number in a single day in the country.
Although Japan initially experienced a relatively slow rollout of its vaccination campaign, it increased its pace and by last November had the highest vaccination rate among the Group of Seven industrialized nations. However, the Ministry of Health then adhered to a protocol that stipulated an eight-month wait between the first doses of the vaccine and the booster, even as other countries shortened their waiting periods.
Local governments, including the Tokyo government, have urged for a faster distribution of booster doses. The waiting period between the first two doses and the booster has recently been reduced to six months, which still exceeds the waiting period in South Korea at three months and Singapore at five months. Only 10% of Japan's population has received the third vaccine dose, compared to over 50% in South Korea and Singapore.
