As nations race to develop treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, Japan has become a victim of its own success as slowing new infections have led to a shortage of patients to enroll in clinical trials.
Clinical trials are underway for more than a dozen potential vaccines, including at least six in China, but Japan's first human trials are expected to start next month.
In development of treatments, Russia and India approved Fujifilm Holdings Corp.'s Avigan as a COVID-19 therapy, but Japan, whose Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has touted the drug's potential and hoped to approve it in May, won't see a decision until at least July.